2010 National Defense Space Award Recipient: Captain Kathryn L. Gray

Captain Kathryn Gray is the Space
Weapons and Tactics Flight Commander for the 1st Special Operations Group, Hurlburt
Field, Florida. She is responsible for coordinating and integrating space tactics
and capabilities, including navigation, personnel recovery, missile warning, and
friendly force tracking, into Air Force special operations.
Capt Gray graduated from California State University, Fresno in 2000. After school,
she was assigned to the 3d Space Operations Squadron, Schriever Air Force Base,
Colorado as a Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS III) satellite operator
and engineer, where she was responsible for launch and day-to-day operations for
the 13-satellite constellation. In 2004, she was assigned to the 3d Space Launch
Squadron, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, where she was the Booster Operations
Controller for the final launch of the Titan IV rocket from the East coast. After
the launch, she became the Chief of Training at the 45th Operations Support Squadron
until she was selected to be the 45th Operations Group Executive Officer. In December
2007, Capt Gray graduated from the Air Force Weapons School’s Space Weapons
Instructor Course.
About the Award
The Florida National Defense Space Award was created in 2005 by
the National Space NSCFL Florida Committee to recognize significant achievements
and contributions made by Depa
rtment of Defense (DoD) personnel while on duty in the State of Florida. The
award celebrates major contributions of DoD active duty military, DoD civilians
and DoD contractors in space-related areas that significantly contribute to the
defense of our nation.
Nominees for this award can come from any DoD or contractor organization and any
level within their organization in the State of Florida. Nominees may include
active duty DoD officers and enlisted personnel, DoD civil servants, and contractors
directly performing for the DoD in a space-related area. The intent of this
award is to honor individuals, who, through their duty while stationed in Florida,
make major contributions to the defense of our nation in a space-related area.
At an appropriate ceremony, each honoree, or their designee, will be presented with
a plaque that the recipient will keep. Also, each honoree’s name and
date of award will be inscribed on a separate plaque that will be maintained by
the Space NSCFL to honor the recipients of all previous awards. Each year
the Space NSCFL will request nominations through public announcements, it’s
web site, and letters to senior commanders of major DoD installations in Florida.
Nominations may be accepted from any person within a DoD or DoD contractor organization
in Florida. The Space NSCFL reserves the right to validate facts from senior
officials.
DOD Award on Display in Tallahassee Capitol Bldg Fl 22
Nomination and Selection Guidelines
- The nominee must have been on active duty as officer or enlisted member of the United
States Armed Forces, or as an active duty government civil servant or contractor
performing work for the Department of Defense.
- The accomplishments cited in the nomination must have significantly contributed
to the success of our nation’s defense in a space-related area.
- The accomplishments cited in the nomination must have been accomplished while the
individual’s permanent duty station was in the State of Florida.
Submit a written nomination for the National Defense Space Award to either:
The National Space Club Florida
PO Box 21243
Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32815-0243
or
info@nscfl.org
Past Award Recipients
2005 Capt. Kirk L. Riggs from Hurlburt Field, Florida.
2006 Major Bart M. Hughes from Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base
2007 Captain Chris Schlagheck from Patrick Air Force Base, Florida
2009 Captain McGrew from Air Force Special Operations School at Hurlburt Field,
Florida