The Jabara Award for Airmanship, named in memory of Colonel James Jabara (1923–1966), is awarded each year to the United States Air Force Academy graduate whose accomplishments demonstrate superior performance in fields directly involved with aerospace vehicles.
With 15 kills, Colonel Jabara was the second leading Air Force ace of the Korean War. Colonel Jabara was the First American Jet Ace. Each year the U.S. Air Force Academy and the Association of Graduates present the Colonel James Jabara Award to an academy graduate or graduates whose airmanship contributions are of great significance and set them apart from their contemporaries.
Each major air command, including the Air Force Reserve Command; field operating agency, including the Air National Guard; and direct reporting unit may submit one nomination for the award. The winner of the award is authorized to wear the Air Force Recognition Ribbon.
Recipients Year Recipients1968 Capt Donald D. Stevens, ’601969 1st Lt Karl W. Richter, ’641969 Major Terry R. Jorris, ’611970Capt Wayne A. Warner, ’631971Capt Neil B. Crist, ’661972Capt R. Stephen Ritchie, ’641973 Capt Dale E. Stovall, ’671974 Major Robert A. Lodge, ’641975 Capt Ronald T. Rand, ’71Capt Donald R. Backlund, ’711976Lt Col Michael V. Love, ’601977Major Roger E. Carleton, ’671978Lt Col Wayne F. Kendall Jr., ’601979Major M. H. Bushnell, ’641980Colonel Thomas A. LaPlante, ’611981Capt William T. Gillin, ’731982Lt Col Robert L. Brenci, ’631983Major Neal D. Coyle, ’72Colonel Karol J. Bobko, ’591984Capt Michael P. Davis, ’781985Colonel James N. Allburn, ’631986Major Larry E. Faber, ’731987Capt James A. Trinka, ’781988Major Marc D. Felman, ’76Capt Thomas M. Ferguson, ’811989Lt Col Robert H. Schnick, ’721990Capt Francis R. Gabreski, ’811991Capt William F. Andrews, ’801992Major Corby L. Martin, ’801993 Major Ali C. Frohlich, ’801994 Lt Col James A. Sills, ’741995 Capt Harold E. Waters, ’851996 Lt Col Robert P. Donnelly Jr., ’771997 Lt Col David J. Scott, ’781998 Capt Daniel E. Flynn, ’911999 Major Peter E. Gersten, ’892000 Major James L. Cardoso, ’882001 Major Julian M. Chesnutt, ’892002 Major Henry C. Thompson, ’872003 Major Leighton T. Anderson, ’92Major Edward J. Lengel, ’922004Major Jason L. Hanover, ’922005Lt Col Keith Schultz, ’792006Capt John Vargas, '962007Maj Mark W. Visconi, '93 2008Capt Jonathan W. Graham, '992009Chesley B. Sullenberger, '73Capt. Travis A. Burton, '002010Capt Prichard R. Keely, '042011Capt Mike Polidor, '04 2012 Capt Joseph "Drew" Hext, '02 2013 Capt Christopher D. McConnell, '05 2014 Capt Charles Napier, '06 2015 Capt Kyle Babbit, '08 2016 Maj Matthew Kuta, '05 2017 Capt Brian Guyette, '082018Maj Marc Catalano, '062019Col. Tyler "Nick" Hague, '98 Maj. Caitlin T. Reilly, '072020Capt Alexander E. Boules, ’152021Maj. J. Cameron Dilts, '102022Maj Kirby Wedan, '12Maj Tyler Ringwald, '11Maj Eric Goral, '102023Maj Richard Yount, '14
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