Coast Guard Aviation Association

Coast Guard Aviation Association Awards

Each year the Coast Guard Aviation Association honors active duty aviation personnel by recognizing outstanding achievement. Recipients of these awards are chosen by the United States Coast Guard. Awards include the The Victor Roulund Rescue Swimmer Meritorious Achievement Award, the Captain Gus Shrode Flight Safety Award, the Chief Oliver Berry Aviation Maintenance Award, the Commander Elmer Stone Fixed Wing Rescue Award, and the Captain Frank Erickson Rotary Wing Rescue Award. See below for award descriptions as well as past and present recipients.

CAPT WILLIAM J. KOSSLER AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER AWARD

This annual award, presented by the Assistant Commandant for Engineering and Logistics, and sponsored by the Coast Guard Aviation Association (CGAA), recognizes individual accomplishments and achievements within the Aeronautical Engineering Program.

Captain Marion “Gus” Shrode Flight Safety Award

The Coast Guard Aviation Association annually presents the Captain Marion “Gus” Shrode Aviation Safety Award to recognize superior performance and outstanding contributions to Coast Guard aviation safety. Captain Shrode was a pioneer in the development of Coast Guard aviation standardization programs, including publication of the Coast Guard’s first aircraft standardization manual. Captain Shrode was also instrumental in creating the Coast Guard’s Aviation Training Center in 1966, served as the Aviation Safety Chief, and completed seven years of continuous aviation command with distinction.

Captain Frank Erickson Rotary Wing Rescue Award

The Frank Erickson Award recognizes Rotary-Wing aircrews who have demonstrated exceptional performance while engaged in search and rescue operations.

Commander Elmer Stone Fixed Wing Rescue Award

The Elmer Stone Award recognizes Fixed-Wing aircrews who have demonstrated exceptional performance while engaged in search and rescue operations.

Chief Aviation Machinist Mate Oliver Berry Aviation Maintenance Award

The Coast Guard Aviation Association annually present the Chief Aviation Machinist Mate Oliver F. Berry Aviation Maintenance Award to an aviation technician who has demonstrated exceptional performance and enhanced the overall quality of Coast Guard aviation maintenance.

Commander David H. Bartlett And Commodore Lloyd T. Nicholls U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Aviation Award Of Excellence

Chief Aviation Machinist Mate Oliver Berry Aviation Maintenance Award

The Coast Guard Aviation Association annually present the Chief Aviation Machinist Mate Oliver F. Berry Aviation Maintenance Award to an aviation technician who has demonstrated exceptional performance and enhanced the overall quality of Coast Guard aviation maintenance.

The Victor Roulund Rescue Swimmer Meritorious Achievement Awards

Roulund On-Scene Performance Award

Crewmembers of Coast Guard aircraft eligible for consideration for the Victor Roulund Meritorious On-Scene Performance Award will have, like PO Roulund, exercised uncommon situational awareness, timely resourcefulness, while courageously operating outside of normal “crew duties,” at the risk of their personal safety; and solved the extraordinary, evolving challenges they encountered on-scene, that were threatening the lives of others and/or their fellow shipmates.

Roulund Rescue Swimmer Award

The Victor Roulund Rescue Swimmer Meritorious Achievement Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Rescue Swimmer Program through sustained superior performance, significant initiative in technology or tactics, and unique or extraordinary accomplishments in other areas associated with the Program. This award is sponsored by the Coast Guard Aviation Association and established in 2015.