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The 2011 Henry M. Jackson Distinguished Service Award & Grateful Nation Award Dinner – November 7, Washington DC

Click here to view the Save the Date


Click here to view the Save the Date

In 1982, the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) was proud to honor Senator Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson with the first “Distinguished Service Award.” After the Senator’s untimely death in 1983, JINSA, in cooperation with Mrs. Helen Jackson, renamed the award in the Senator’s memory.

Today this prestigious award enables JINSA to recognize and thank those leaders whose careers have been distinguished by the principle that is the foundation of JINSA’s work; the belief that the United States requires a strong military capability for both its own security and for that of trustworthy friends and allies. This was the cornerstone of the late Senator Jackson’s visionary policy and it guides JINSA today. Senator Jackson helped define our mandate and our programming is designed to further it.

Click here to read a full history of JINSA’s Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson Award

JINSA is pleased and proud to award the 2011 Henry M. Jackson Distinguished Service Award to Admiral James G. Stavridis, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and Commander, United States European Command in recognition of his service to the defense of the United States and our European allies, and for strengthening security cooperation with Israel, America’s most reliable ally in the Middle East.

During his tenure as Commander of the United States Army European Command (EUCOM) and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), Admiral James G. Stavridis has strengthened and deepened security ties between the United States and Israel. The IDF works actively with American military forces in Europe, sharing intelligence information and threat assessments, and sharing of technology and skills. Joint US-Israel military exercises have become more complex and integrated, including the very successful Juniper Cobra 10 Exercise with nearly two thousand American and Israeli troops working to mesh ground- and ship-based missile interceptors like the Aegis, THAAD and Patriot with Israel’s Arrow II ballistic shield. The next Juniper Cobra exercise will take place in early 2012, and will include the Arrow 2 and Iron Dome missile systems as well as THAAD and Aegis.

Click here to read Admiral Stavridis’ full biography

The Grateful Nation Award, established in 2003, is presented annually to six young heroes recognized for having distinguished themselves through superior conduct in the War on Terrorism. Honorees are chosen by their respective service and come from the enlisted, noncommissioned officer and junior officer ranks. Honorees represent each of the five branches of the U.S. military and the U.S. Special Operations Command.

Click here to read a full history of JINSA’s Grateful Nation Award