Operational Flight Surgeon Safety Award
Criteria for Selection
The intent of this award is to recognize outstanding safety achievements of operational flight surgeons assigned to a medical group or squadron medical element. Nominees must have made significant contributions to safety over the preceding calendar year. Nominee contributions to all areas of safety are encouraged and should not be restricted to aviation safety. Contributions may include, but are not limited to: identification, investigation and mediation of hazards; creation of effective prevention programs; insightful mishap investigation; and innovative safety program management. Contributions may also include activities in support of joint/coalition/federal flying operations.
Eligibility
There are no restrictions as to rank, age or membership in the Society. Nominees must be active duty, Reserve, or Guard flight surgeons.
Nominations
Any member of the Society can nominate an individual. The Chairman of the Awards Committee of the Society will prepare and send a letter to the Command Surgeon of each major command (MAJCOM), including the United States Air Force Academy, the Air National Guard, and the Air Force Reserves. Each MAJCOM surgeon’s office may select and present one nominee for consideration to the Awards Committee. All nominations should be endorsed by the nominee’s base Chief of Safety. The primary nomination will consist of a one-page narrative summary and a two-page curriculum vitae, outlining the nominee’s qualifications for the award and accomplishments. The nomination package may be supported by up to four letters of recommendation, each not longer than one page in length. One of these recommendations must include an endorsement from the nominee’s base Chief of Safety and one must be from the nominee’s medical group commander or equivalent. Nomination packages must be received by the Chairman of the Awards Committee.
Award Selection
The Chairman of the Awards Committee will prepare a ballot on which will appear the names of the selected nominees. The ballot, as well as a copy of the nominees’ nomination narratives and accompanying recommendations, will be provided to each voting member on the Society’s Awards Committee Review Panel. A flight surgeon representative from HQ Air Force Safety Center will be a member on this voting panel.
Each member will rank the nominees after scoring according to the scheme below or write “abstain” on the ballot.
Scoring scheme is:
10 points for Impact;
10 points for Breadth of Engagement;
10 points for Innovation in Meeting Challenges
The winner will be the nominee receiving the highest rankings. In the event that only a single name is entered in nomination for the award in a given year, the Board of Governors will vote as to whether that person should receive the award. Following tabulation of votes, the Chairman of the Awards Committee will provide the name of the winner to the Society’s President before the winner is announced to the Board. The President shall have the final right to approve the winner as recipient of the award. If the President does not so approve, the award will not be given in that year.
Award
The President of the Society and/or Chair of the Awards Committee will announce the award winner at the Society of USAF Flight Surgeons Luncheon held during the annual Scientific Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association. A plaque will be presented to the award winner at this luncheon.