Gerald C. Brown Mentoring Award

SAME created the Academy of Fellows Mentoring Award in 2004 to recognize SAME Fellows for outstanding mentoring efforts. The first award was presented in March 2005.

In 2009, the SAME Board of Direction renamed the award the Gerald C. Brown Mentoring Award in honor of the founder of the Academy of Fellows. Brig. Gen. Gerald C. “Jed” Brown, USA (Ret.), chaired the working group that formalized organizing the Fellows into an Academy in 1994 and served as the first chair of the Academy. Nearly all the workings of the Academy in place today were formulated under the leadership of Gen. Brown.

The Gerald C. Brown Mentoring Award is inspired from the pledge the Fellows take when invested, which is:

I charge you to be a mentor. A Fellow sets and abides by the highest ethical standards. A Fellow espouses continual professional development. A Fellow shares knowledge of the professional with members and non-members.”

Eligibility: Candidate must be an active SAME member and Fellow.

Nomination Criteria: The nomination will be evaluated based in the following criteria:

• Advocate - Arrange for the mentee to participate in high- visibility activities within your organization and in SAME-sponsored events.
• Advisor - Communicate the formal and informal realities of career progression; recommend beneficial training; review mentee's professional development plan if he /she has one.
• Communicator - Establish an environment for open interaction with young members; act as a sounding board for ideas and career concerns.
• Coach - Teach managerial and technical skills; recommend specific behaviors for success; encourage Young Members to take leadership roles in SAME.
• Sponsor - Take Young Member to SAME meetings and introduce to collegues; connect Young Members with educational and employment opportunities.

Nomination Process: Nominations for this award must be made by an SAME member and endorsed by a Post President or member of the National Board of Direction, using the SAME nomination form. The Post President or member of the National Board of Direction endorsing the nomination will verify that the Fellow meets the eligibility criteria for the award, and that the nomination package provides information to support each of the nomination criteria and all required nominee information. The nominator is responsible for ensuring the package, with endorsement, is received at SAME HQ on or before January 23.

Click here to review nominations instructions

Past Gerald C. Brown Mentoring Award Recipients

• 2011 Gerald W. “Jerry” Adams, F.SAME
• 2010 Linda McKnight, F.SAME and Lt. Col. Scott Prosuch, F.SAME, USA (Ret.)
• 2009 Lt. Col. Mary Matthews Hains, P.E., F.SAME, USAF (Ret.)
• 2008 Capt. D. Karin Lynn, P.E., F.SAME, USN (Ret.)
• 2007 Richard "Dick" Kochanek, F.SAME, USAF (Ret.)
• 2006 Mr. Matthew Harvey, P.E., F.SAME
• 2005 Maj. Gen. Joseph A. "Bud" Ahearn, P.E., F.SAME, USAF (Ret.)
• 2004 Lt. Col. Wendell L. "Buddy" Barnes, P.E., F.SAME, USA (Ret.)