Navy's 2009 Foreign Language Awards - RADM George Patrick March Award - his legacy in love of languages lives on

The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC), Monterey, CA, sponsors an annual competition to recognize excellence in two categories:

(1) individual achievement by a Foreign Language Professional, and
(2) exceptional performance by a Command Language Program.

Making this year's selection was a particular challenge. I was pleased to note that the 2009 nominations were most impressive, and selection of only one Navy nominee in each category for the larger cross-service competitions proved difficult. With that in mind, I am pleased to announce Navy's Foreign Language Excellence winners as:

-- Language Professional of the Year: CTI2 Douglas Dixon of Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Texas

-- Command Language Program of the Year: NIOC Maryland

Navy's winners will be nominated for the larger cross-Service award competition which will be decided prior to the Command Language Program Manager (CLPM) conference in Monterey, CA scheduled for May 2010.

Our selections represent the superior levels of linguistic proficiencies represented throughout the Navy, and our expectations are high for the cross-Service competition. Please join me in congratulating Petty Officer Dixon and Captain Steven Ashworth, CO, NIOC Maryland on their achievements. Also, I ask that you join me in extending a hearty "well done" to all who participated in this highly competitive program.

Widest dissemination within the Navy Information Warfare, Special Warfare, and Intelligence communities is requested.

RADM D.P. Holloway, USN
Navy Senior Language Authority