ALEXANDRIA, VA -- The Marine Corps Association fourth annual Information Awards Dinner, administered by the Deputy Commandant for Information, recognized Marines, civilian and units from around the Corps for their superior performance, making an impact in the information environment, April. 20, 2023.
The annual Information Awards Dinner recognized 15 individual awards and 4 unit awards chosen from information communities including Intelligence, Command, Control, Communications and Computers, Cyber, Psychological Operations, Space, Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations, Communication Strategy and Operations and civil affairs.
DC I convened a board of senior field grade officers, senior enlisted Marines, and civilian Marines to review nominations and select award winners. The period of service eligible for award consideration was Jan. 1, 2022 through Dec. 31, 2022.
“I couldn’t be more proud of those here tonight and the impact they have had on our Corps,” stated Lt. Gen. Matthew Glavy, Deputy Commandant for Information. “I extend my sincere congratulations to our awardees and their families who displayed the utmost professionalism and loyalty to our Marine Corps.”
A full list of Information Award recipients with associated awardee biographies can be found at the following link: https://mca-marines.org/2023-information-awards-recipients
Solicitation for nominations was requested via MARADMIN 542/22, Oct. 18, 2022 and an official selection announcement was published via MARADMIN 103/23 on Feb. 27, 2023.
The guest of honor for the event was Gen. David H. Berger, 38th Commandant of the Marine Corps. During his remarks he acknowledged the awardees as well as the dynamic aspects of the Marine Corps seventh warfighting function, information.
“Information in my opinion is changing faster than any other of the warfighting functions and I think it is driving the changes in the character of war people talk about. I think it is actually not weapon systems doing that but Information and the past year in Europe I think is a great case study in that.” stated Berger.
Gen. Berger also emphasized the importance of Marines being fully capable of keeping pace with the changing character of war.
“Marines have a clear view of what Information Advantage is, they know how to leverage the power of information to give them a warfighting advantage. They know how to employ it. Marines, you are our warfighting advantage. The future is in your hands and everything is possible so tonight we hand out awards, tomorrow-warfighting.” Gen. David H. Berger, 38th Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Marine Corps defines information advantage as an exploitable condition resulting from one actor’s ability to generate, preserve, deny, and project information more effectively than another.
Of the 19 awards received during the Information Awards Dinner, one is named the Lt. Col. Kevin M. Shea Memorial Unit of the Year Award. Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38 was the receiving unit.
During Gen. Berger’s remarks he announced the establishment of the Lt. Col. Kevin M. Shea USMC Chair for Information at Naval Postgraduate School. The new formalized agreement between DC I and NPS is named after the former NPS graduate and Marine Corps communications officer killed Sept 14, 2004 while deployed with Regimental Combat Team in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. The newly established chair will serve as the lead in research furthering DC I priorities in the information environment by aligning people, process and technology in support of larger Marine Corps initiatives.
The Marine Corps published Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication 8, Information on June 29, 2022 serving as the capstone service doctrine describing the purpose and mechanics of the information warfighting function. MCDP 8 can be found at the following link: https://www.marines.mil/News/Publications/MCPEL/Electronic-Library-Display/Article/3077947/mcdp-8/
Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 8-10 Information in Marine Corps Operations is the next step in elevating Information as a warfighting function slated for release summer of 2023.
The MCA Information Awards Dinner conducted on April. 20, 2023 is the fourth time the annual event has been held, recognizing individuals across the communities unified in the warfighting function of Information. Gen. Robert Neller, 37th Commandant of the Marine Corps, first recognized information as the seventh warfighting function Jan. 17, 2019.