U.S. Navy Awards Ceremony for Dec. 6 NAS Pensacola Shooting



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MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 19, 2020

Contact: Cmdr. James Stockman

(850) 452-5845

Navy Awards Ceremony Honors Military, Civilians Involved in Dec. 6 NAS Pensacola Shooting

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) conducted an awards ceremony at the National Naval Aviation Museum onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Friday, June 19 at 1 p.m.

The ceremony recognized the bravery and selflessness of those NETC Domain service members and federal servants involved in the Dec. 6 shooting at NAS Pensacola that left four dead, including the shooter, and eight injured.

Vice Adm. John Nowell, Jr., chief of naval personnel, provided opening remarks virtually from Washington, D.C.; Rear Adm. Kyle Cozad, NETC commander, presided over the ceremony; and Cmdr. Daniel Balsinger, Naval Aviation Schools Command (NASC) executive officer, was the guest speaker.

Twelve civilians and service members from NASC and Marine Aviation Training Support Group (MATSG) 23 were recognized during the event for their actions.

The awards included the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Purple Heart, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Department of the Navy Superior Civilian Medal for Valor and Department of the Navy Civilian Service Commendation Medal.

The awardees included:

NASC

- Ensign Blaine DaPra, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal

- Ensign Breanna Thomas, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal/Purple Heart

- Ensign Kristy Lehmer, Purple Heart

- Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Carl Daniel, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal

- Mr. Ronnie Moreno, Department of the Navy Superior Civilian Medal for Valor

- Mr. Kevin Groff, Department of the Navy Superior Civilian Medal for Valor

- Ms. Raven Smith, Department of the Navy Civilian Service Commendation Medal

MATSG-23

- Gunnery Sgt. Ryan Masel, Navy and Marine Corps Medal

- Staff Sgt. Samuel Mullins, Navy and Marine Corps Medal

- Staff Sgt. Andrew Pfannenstiel, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal

- Staff Sgt. Andrew Fitzgerald, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal

- Sgt. Kyle Armbruster, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal

Two service members, Marine Capt. Kyle Whitlock and Airman Apprentice Ryan Blackwell, were previously recognized in May during a private ceremony. Whitlock received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and Blackwell received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and Purple Heart.

Airman Apprentice George Johnson and Jessica Pickett will receive their awards in separate ceremonies. Johnson, who transferred from NASC, will receive the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and Purple Heart. Pickett, who was unable to attend the ceremony, will receive the Secretary of Defense Medal of Freedom Award.

The ceremony was closed to the public and media.

Video of the ceremony is on the MyNavy HR Facebook page at .

Photos from the ceremony are located at .

Cmdr. James Stockman, Naval Education and Training Command public affairs officer,

James.d.stockman1@navy.mil | 850-452-5845

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Vice Admiral John B. Nowell, Jr.

Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Manpower, Personnel, Training, and Education, N1, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations/Chief of Naval Personnel

Vice Adm. John Nowell is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering and holds a Master of Science in Weapons Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Nowell’s operational tours have spanned the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets to include forward deployed naval forces in Europe and the Western Pacific. He served aboard USS Callaghan (DDG 994), USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51), and USS The Sullivans (DDG 68). He commanded USS Porter (DDG 78), and Destroyer Squadron 60/Task Force 65. He also served as the maritime force commander (Combined Task Force-Bravo) for Joint Task Force Lebanon, Commander of Task Force West and Central Africa (CTF-365), and commander of the inaugural Africa Partnership Station deployment.

His staff assignments included tours on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations in the Surface Warfare Directorate (N86), and executive assistant to the Director of Theater Air Warfare (N865); chief of the Theater Air and Missile Defense Branch (J-38); head of the Washington Placement Branch (PERS-441), executive assistant to the Commander, Navy Personnel Command/Naval Personnel Development Command, and director, Surface Warfare Distribution Division (PERS-41). Nowell also served as director of the Navy Senate Liaison Office in Washington D.C.

As a flag officer, Nowell has served as chief of staff and director, Strategy, Resources, and Plans (N5/8) on the staff of Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet in Naples, Italy; Commander, Amphibious Force Seventh Fleet/Expeditionary Strike Group Seven/Task Force 76 in Okinawa, Japan, and most recently as director, Military Personnel Plans and Policy (OPNAV N13).

Nowell assumed duties as the Navy’s 59th Chief of Naval Personnel May 24, 2019. Serving concurrently as the deputy chief of naval operations (manpower, personnel, training and education) (N1), he is responsible for the planning and programming of all manpower, personnel, training and education resources for the U.S. Navy. He leads more than 26,000 dedicated professionals engaged in the recruiting, talent management, training and development of Navy personnel. His responsibilities include overseeing Navy Recruiting Command, Navy Personnel Command and Naval Education and Training Command.

His awards include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (six awards), Bronze Star, and various other personal, unit and campaign awards. Every ship that he has been assigned to has won the Battle Efficiency “E” award, and USS Porter (DDG 78) also won the Anti-Submarine Warfare “Bloodhound” award. Nowell was also the recipient of the 1987 Pacific Fleet Junior Officer Shiphandling Award.

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Rear Admiral Kyle Cozad

Commander, Naval Education and Training Command

Rear Adm. Kyle Cozad, a native of Las Vegas, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Oceanography and Physics. He earned a Master of Science in National Resource Management, graduating with distinction, from the National Defense University’s Eisenhower School, formerly the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He also attended the Navy Corporate Business Course at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

Cozad’s operational Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) tours span all four MPR sites, including Patrol Squadron (VP) 23, Brunswick, Maine; VP-9, Barbers Point and Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; command of VP-40, Whidbey Island, Washington; and command of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11, Jacksonville, Florida. Cozad has served extensively as an instructor pilot in multiple operational tours and completed two tours with VP-30, the P-3 Fleet Replacement Squadron and one with the Canadian Air Force’s 404 Squadron in Greenwood, Nova Scotia, as a CP-140 exchange instructor pilot.

His shore tours include Navy Personnel Command as aviation commander and captain detailer; commanding officer, staff enlisted personnel; and executive assistant to the commander. He served as the 22nd senior director of the White House Situation Room and as a chief of naval operations (CNO) fellow on the CNO’s Strategic Studies Group (XXXII).

As a flag officer, Cozad has previously been assigned as vice deputy director, Regional, Force Management and Future Operations (J-35), The Joint Staff in Norfolk, Virginia; commander, Joint Task Force Guantanamo; and commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Group and Patrol and Reconnaissance Group Pacific in Norfolk.

Cozad became the 19th commander of the Naval Education and Training Command July 20, 2017.

His personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal (two awards), Legion of Merit (two awards), Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards). He received the Admiral William F. Bringle Award for inspirational leadership during his tour as a flight deck officer and catapult and arresting gear officer aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63).

The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after April 5, 1917, with the U.S. military.

The Navy and Marine Corps Medal may be awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or Marine Corps, distinguishes himself or herself by heroism not involving actual conflict with the enemy. Although many past awards were for heroism involving lifesaving, the Navy and Marine Corps Medal is not solely a lifesaving medal. It may be awarded for any heroic act not involving direct conflict with the enemy. However, for acts of lifesaving, or attempted lifesaving, the action must have been performed at the risk of one’s own life.

The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration, which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth version existing for acts of joint military service performed under the Department of Defense.

The Superior Civilian Medal of Valor is the second highest honorary award the Secretary of the Navy can confer upon a Department of the Navy civilian employee for unusual acts of heroism beyond the call of duty.

The Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom is a decoration established to acknowledge civilian employees of the United States Department of Defense who are killed or wounded in the line of

The Department of the Navy Civilian Service Commendation Medal is awarded to Department of the Navy and U.S. Marine Corps civilians who distinguish themselves by performing well above that which is usually expected of an individual commensurate with his or her grade or specialty, and above the degree of excellence that can be appropriately reflected in the individual's performance evaluations, or personnel records. The medal may be awarded after a significant achievement (such as an invention, or improvement in design, procedure, or organization) or after an extended period (such as a deployment or overseas tour).

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Naval Education and Training Command

Public Affairs Office (Code N00P)

250 Dallas Street

Pensacola, FL 32508-5220

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