AOC Recognizes Excellence Across Community and Military Services
The Association of Old Crows (AOC) has announced 2025 award recipients for its Community, Chapter Flow-Up, and Military Awards. These awards honor individuals and military units who demonstrate innovation, leadership, and dedication to advancing EW capabilities and strengthening the global defense community.
The awards will be presented at the 2025 AOC International Symposium & Convention, December 9-11 in National Harbor, Maryland.
Community Awards
Engineering and Technical Excellence Award
Jimmy P. Washington is honored for over 40 years of exceptional dedication and subject matter expertise supporting warfighters and advanced airborne sensors. His precise development of radar cross section data in radio frequency has enabled accurate combat identification and enhanced mission planning capabilities across global operations.
Project Team of the Year Award
The Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations Task Force with the 194th Wing of the Washington Air National Guard pioneered the Air National Guard’s first EMSO capability that seamlessly integrates cyber, electronic warfare, intelligence, and AFSPECWAR to deliver multi-domain effects supporting joint warfighting objectives and homeland defense.
EW Professional Outstanding Young Crow Award
Staff Sergeant Dylan Demetrius, USAF, is celebrated for exceptional leadership and technical expertise that have significantly advanced joint force mission effectiveness and the development of next-generation electronic warfare tactics, techniques, and procedures.
Professional Outstanding Achievement Award
Rodney Wheeler is recognized for outstanding professional and community service in advancing electronic warfare. His leadership implementing model-based systems engineering methodologies within NASA and the Program Executive Office Missiles and Space has driven innovation and strengthened EW capability integration across critical defense and aerospace programs.
Chapter Flow-Up Awards
Academic and Educational Excellence Award
Dr. Vijayanand Kowtha is honored for decades of distinguished service and academic endeavors expanding the knowledge base across mathematics, science, and engineering domains. His efforts mentoring economically disadvantaged students in STEM pursuits resulted in award-winning robotics competition teams in both the United States and United Kingdom.
Outstanding Chapter Support
Jessica Derr is celebrated for exceptional support to the Kittyhawk Chapter of AOC, demonstrating unwavering commitment, dedication, and valuable contributions fostering shared goals among members, sponsors, industry partners, and the Air Force Research Laboratory.
Military Awards
Military Service Award – Air Force
Captain Jordan Sessler is recognized as the foremost tactical and technical expert leading the 42nd Electronic Combat Squadron’s 45-member initial cadre. His instrumental role developing the EA-37B syllabus and 18 comprehensive training guides has laid the foundation for next-generation electronic attack capability and readiness.
Military Service Award – Army
First Lieutenant William Parrish is honored for innovative application of tactical electromagnetic warfare addressing force protection gaps, delivering scalable solutions that improved electromagnetic awareness, system integration, and survivability across Army units in deployed environments.
Military Service Award – Navy
Lieutenant Evan Anthony Jones optimized EW database processes, reduced SLQ-32(V)6 library reprogramming at sea timelines by 39.8%, and supported critical operations, significantly enhancing Navy Surface Ship ASMD capabilities and fleet readiness.
Military Service Award – International
Lieutenant Colonel Pasquale Iorillo is recognized for championing electronic warfare and fostering spectrum awareness within the Italian Armed Forces and across NATO. His contributions to the global EW community through insightful writings and active engagement as a subject matter expert have deepened collective understanding of emerging spectrum threats.
Military Unit Excellence Award
The US Air Force’s 31st Operations Support Squadron (OSS) is honored for outstanding achievement in groundbreaking EW advancements and innovative integration that strengthens global collaboration, enhances warfighter capabilities, and champions excellence.
Military Individual Excellence Award
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joshua Irvin is recognized for exceptional leadership, innovation, and dedication to advancing electronic warfare and cyber disciplines, strengthening multinational partnerships, mentoring soldiers, and embodying US Army and AOC values to achieve enduring operational excellence.
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AOC is a professional non-profit association that educates, connects, and advocates on behalf of its members and stakeholders across the global EW and EMSO community. For more information about AOC’s annual awards program and nomination process, visit crows.org/awards.