Academic Awards

About

Academic Awards (AY-2025)

"This school is a revolution . . . 

We want to make this post and the whole Marine Corps a great University. We want to find out who our most capable men are and to give them opportunities accordingly."

the marine corps university foundation

Sponsors the Streusand-Cooper Award, endowed by Dr. Douglas E. Streusand, Marine Corps University faculty, and presented in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Alan L. Streusand, and Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs. Francis L. "Gus" Cooper, to a Command and Staff College Student for the best paper on information and operations, or information as an instrument of national power.

Sponsors the Colonel F. Brooke Nihart Writing Award, endowed by Colonel and Mrs. F. Brooke Nihart, USMC (Ret), and presented in honor of the late Colonel Nihart to the Marine infantry officer at CSC whose Master of Military Studies paper demonstrates the greatest depth of scholarship, clarity and originality.

Sponsors the Colonel Arthur Corbett Award in honor of the late Colonel Arthur Corbett, USMC, to the student whose paper best exemplifies the contributions made by Colonel Corbett to the Marine Corps in the realm of the force design and capabilities with an emphasis on innovation and creativity.

Sponsors the SAW Staff Ride Excellence Prize, presented to the student who contributes most to this component of the curriculum. SAW conducts the most extensive staff ride program of all DOD PME schools, investing more than six weeks in this form of experiential learning. Its students walk the ground of many of the campaigns they study in the classroom, including battlefields.

the marine corps association

Sponsors the Colonel Bevan G. Cass Awards, presented in honor of Colonel Bevan G. Cass, USMC, who served as the Exe3cutive Director of the Marine Corps Association from 19781 to 1978, to two Command and Staff College students whose papers are judged to be the best on a topic concerned with the profession of arms bearing directly on the Marine Corps.

Sponsors the MCWAR Academic Excellence Awards, presented to the top 20% of the MCWAR graduating class, based upon an evaluation of leadership qualities and superior academic performance, with an emphasis on academic performance.

Sponsors the Lieutenant General Paul K. Van Riper Writing Award, in honor of the University's first President, Lieutenant General Paul K. Van Riper, USMC (Ret). It is presented to the MCWAR student whose paper is determined to be most suitable for publication in a professional journal for this academic year.

Sponsors the Krulak Center Award for Innovation, presented to a MCWAR, SAW, and CSC student that best embodies the spirit and creativity of Lieutenant General Brute Krulak. These students continually challenged instructors as well as their fellow students with their creative thinking and consistently presented novel, imaginative, and unique contributions to class discussions, planning exercises, and writing assignments.

Women, peace and security

The Women, Peace and Security Writing Award is sponsored by Lieutenant General Lori Reynolds, USMC (Ret). This award recognizes student papers devoted to the United States' WPS strategy, an international perspective on the WPS agenda, or more broadly, the value of a WPS perspective for security professionals.

american, british, canadian, australian, and new zealand armies program

Sponsors the ABCANZ Armies Staff College Award, which is presented to a MCWAR, SAW, and CSC student for the best papers on coalition operability.

THE NAVY LEAGUE of the united states

Sponsors the General Clifton B. Cates Awards in memory of the 19th Commandant to SAW students most deserving of special recognition for sustained demonstration of problem-solving capabilities far exceeding their military experience, and outstanding performance in written assignments, participation in practical exercises, and the daily exchange of ideas.

the foreign area officers association

Sponsors the FAOA Award for International Affairs, presented to Marine Corps War College and Command and Staff College students for the best paper demonstrating academic research, strategic thought, and professional writing skills on international affairs and related intelligence issues.

the central intelligence agency associate director for military affairs

Sponsors the William J. "Wild Bill" Donovan Intelligence Writing Award for the most outstanding paper on intelligence or an intelligence-related topic.

the military officers association of america

Sponsors the Joint Service Planner Awards, presented to a MCWAR and SAW student who demonstrate the most acumen in joint planning or submits the best research paper on the topic of future and/or joint warfighting.

the association of marine corps logisticians

Sponsors the AMCL Strategic Logistics Award. This award recognizes the student from the Marine Corps War College who wrote the best paper or memo on advancing logistics as a warfighting function and tying logistical concepts to support the national security.

Sponsors the AMCL Advanced Warfighting Logistics Award. This award recognizes the student from the School of Advance Warfighting who wrote the best paper or memo highlighting the role of logistics in military plans and operations.

Sponsors the AMCL Command and Staff College Top Logistician Award. This award recognizes the CSC student with the highest grade-point average and performance with a logistics-related military occupational specialty. Eligible occupational specialties include, but are not limited to logistics, supply, transportation, maintenance, health services support, and general engineering.

Recipient:  Major Gillon Crichton, USMCR

Brigadier a. w. hammett award

Presented in memory of Brigadier A. W. "Tony" Hammett, Royal Australian Regiment, on behalf of the members of his US Marine Corps Command and Staff College Class of 1975-76, to the International Military Student whose paper is considered most outstanding on a subject of value to the individual student's country.

military scholarship of teaching and learning writing award