CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED// 
ROUTINE 
R 162007Z SEP 24 MID120001390589U 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC 
TO NAVADMIN 
CMC WASHINGTON DC 
COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC 
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UNCLAS 
 
NAVADMIN 188/24 
 
MSGID/NAVADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N2N6/SEP// 
 
SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2024 COPERNICUS AWARD NOMINATION// 
 
POC/LUND/CIV/AFCEA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION/TEL:  (703) 631-6147 
/EMAIL:  edfoundation@afcea.org// 
 
RMKS/1.  The Copernicus Award recognizes individual contributions to naval 
warfare in Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence 
(C4I), Information Systems, Cyber Operations, and Information Warfare.  The 
award is sponsored by AFCEA International and the United States Naval 
Institute (USNI). 
 
2.  Award criteria and eligibility.  Fiscal year 2024 nominees must have made 
a specific, demonstrable contribution to the advancement of C4I, Information 
Systems, or Cyber Operations.  Contributions can be technical in nature, but 
may also originate from doctrinal, financial, organizational, or other 
dimensions of information systems.  The contribution should involve 
exceptional initiative, leadership, and insight within the nominee area of 
expertise.  All U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, and Civil 
Service personnel are eligible for nomination.  Up to 30 awardees will be 
selected.  Each nominating command is limited to two nominees.  No contractor 
or team (more than one person) nominations will be accepted.  Nominations 
must be unclassified. 
 
3.  Nominations and presentation.  The awardees will be selected from 
nominations received from U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard 
(including Joint/North Atlantic Treaty Organization) commands, afloat and 
ashore.  Nominations must be on letterhead, be submitted by email in PDF 
format and must not contain any Personally Identifiable Information.   
Nominations for Commanding Officers or Officers-in-Charge must be signed by 
their Immediate Superior in Command.  Flag endorsements and letters of 
recommendation are neither required nor desired.  The nomination template and 
additional nomination package information, as well as the most up-to-date 
point of contact information can be found at  
https://www.afcea.org/copernicus-award as well as award information.   
Nominations must be submitted no later than 1 November 2024 to 
edfoundation@afcea.org.  Late nominations will not be considered. 
 
4.  AFCEA International and USNI will make the final selections.  The Deputy 
Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare will announce the awardees 
via naval message.  The annual Copernicus Awards ceremony will be held at the 
AFCEA International/USNI WEST 2025 Conference in San Diego, California at the 
San Diego Convention Center. 
 
5.  Released by VADM Karl O. Thomas, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for 
Information Warfare, OPNAV N2N6.// 
 
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