Awards
Associations are like venues in which members gather to share their common identity and experiences. The Air Force Association is no different. Thousands of Canadians with aerospace related experiences and interests choose to become members of Wings in their communities and still, thousands of others become Members-at-Large. Together our members share at least one thing in common: a commitment to doing something that helps their community. This motivation, and the fact our members are all volunteers, calls for us from time to time to recognize those who make significant contributions, especially those who serve as a sterling example for others. Taking the time to acknowledge these contributions is the least we can do to enhance our Association, our Air Force and our country. (From RCAFA Booklet 104)
Information on some of the honours awarded prior to 2015 may be found in the minutes of Annual General Meetings.
This page is dedicated to award recipients within the Pacific Region. Some awards to members in other groups may be included for some years.
2022
NATIONAL AWARDS
Order of Excellence - Ted Gibbon 888 (Stocky Edwards) Wing
Meritorious Service Award
George Groff 434 Wing
Glen Hooge 888 (Stocky Edwards) Wing
Bill Moores 150 Wing
Walter Fortune 102 Wing
Patricia Hope 418 Wing
Jack Shapka 888 (Stocky Edwards) Wing
Life Membership Award
Brian Darling, CD 394 Wing
Jock McLaren 879 Wing
John Oliver 413 Wing
Ronald Scaplen 150 Wing
Len Baldock Memorial Member of the Year - David Jackson 700 (Edmonton) Wing
Christina Handler Memorial Award - Nancy Bales 888 (Stocky Edwards) Wing
Wing of the Year - 700 (Edmonton) Wing
Bulletin (Large Wing) - “Contrails” 888 (Stocky Edwards) Wing
Bulletin (Small Wing) - “Aerogram” 600
2020
PACIFIC GROUP AWARDS
Member of the Year - Ted Gibbon, 888 (Komox) Wing
Couple of the Year - Glen Hooge & Colleen Boudreau, 888 (Komox) Wing
President's Commendation -
Gavin Cooper, 808 (Thunderbird) Wing
Ron Peacock, 888 (Komox) Wing
Jim Scott, 888 (Komox) Wing
NATIONAL AWARDS
Life Membership (Honourary) - Janice Hogan (888)
Len Baldock Memorial Member of the Year - Ted Gibbon (888)
Meritorious Service Award – Ian Whiting (801)
Wing of the Year - 888 (Komox) Wing
Wing Bulletin (wing over 125 members) - 888 (Komox) Wing "Contrails"
Award of Merit (AM)
Lou Manus, 808 (Thunderbird) Wing
Barb Manus, 808 (Thunderbird) Wing
Award of Distinction (AD)
Frank Fox, 888 (Komox) Wing
2018
PACIFIC GROUP AWARDS
WING OF THE YEAR - 902 (Aero Camino) WING Santa Barbara, CA, USA
MEMBER OF THE YEAR - Jock McLaren, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing Chilliwack
COUPLE'S AWARD - Dave and Gusti Bews, 888 (Komox) Wing Comox
PACIFIC GROUP PRESIDENT'S AWARD
Reginald L. Daws, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing Chilliwack
PRESIDENT'S COMMENDATION
Alana Wollan, 808 (Thunderbird) Wing Nanaimo
Jason Kitchen, 808 (Thunderbird) Wing Nanaimo
Jean Hnatiuk, 808 (Thunderbird) Wing Nanaimo
CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION
George Miller, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing Chilliwack
NATIONAL AWARDS
Award of Merit (AM)
Doug Slowski, 808 (Thunderbird) Wing Nanaimo
Doris Leaman, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing Chilliwack
Lee Topp, 888 (Komox) Wing Comox
Beth Burt, 101 Squadron Port Hardy (888 Wing)
AWARD OF DISTINCTION (AD)
Ted Bowman, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing Chilliwack
Daryl Wright, 888 (Komox) Wing Comox
Ron Blakey, 902 (Aero Camino) Wing Santa Barbara, CA, USA
Bob Ells, 101 Squadron Port Hardy (888 Wing)
Life Membership (Honourary)
Charles (Chuck) Hazleton, 888 (Komox) Wing
Meritorious Service Award
Ron Western, 888 (Komox) Wing
Best Newsletter (large wing)
Contrails, 888 (Komox) Wing, Jan Hogan Editor
2016
PACIFIC GROUP AWARDS
Wing of the Year - 101 Squadron Port Hardy
Member of the Year - Ian Whiting, 801 (Vancouver) Wing
Couple's Award - Frank & Jackie (Schriner) Fox, 888 (Komox) Wing
President's Commendation - Elsie Downey, 888 (Komox) Wing
NATIONAL AWARDS
Award of Merit (AM)
Monica Gibson-Pugsley, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing
Award of Distinction (AD)
Fred Goldie, 888 (Komox) Wing
Roy Sauer, 889 (North Okanagan) Wing
Gordon Redman, 889 (North Okanagan) Wing
Eugenie Marie (Frankie) Turner, 883 (Kelowna) Wing
Ursula Gunther, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing
Peter Lynch, 888 (Komox) Wing
Meritorious Service Award (MSA)
Jack Shapka, 888 (Komox) Wing
Lyn East, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing
Life Membership (Honourary) Award
J.F. Edwards, 888 (Komox) Wing
Distinguished Service Award (DSA)
Tracy Gillis, 808 (Thunderbird) Wing
Sydney Burrows, 888 (Komox) Wing
Order of Excellence
Reginald L. Daws, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing
Best Newsletters
888 (Komox) Wing
2021
NATIONAL AWARDS
Distinguished Service Award
Keith Mann, 783 Wing
Reagh Clarke, 201 Wing
Life (Honourary) Membership
Clayton Collins, 150 Wing
Joanna Howard, 783 Wing
Harvey MacLeod, 110 Wing
Bernard McNicholl, CD (Retired) WOii Rear Gunner, 879 Wing (Pacific Region)
Meritorious Service Award
Randy Fisher, 783 Wing
Dan Miller, MMM, CD, 201 Wing
Robert Bruce Harten, CD, 432 Wing
E. Margaret “Peggy” J. McAllister, 783 Wing
Bruce F. Tricco, 150 Wing
Nicholas “Nick” Nimchuk, 700 Wing
Christina Handler Memorial Award Joyce Hallowell, 888 (Komox) Wing (Pacific Region)
Wing of the Year 783 Wing Calgary
JAD McCurdy Memorial Trophy, David C. Curtis, CEO Longview Aviation Capital Corp
National Vice-President’s Award Sylvia Loewen 700 Wing
Wing Bulletin Awards
888 (Komox) Wing – Contrails (Pacific Region)
408-437 Wing – Wing Mate
2019
PACIFIC GROUP AWARDS
Couple's Award
Nancy Bales and Bruce Elford, 888 Wing
Wing of the Year Award
888 (Komox) Wing
Pacific Group President's Award
LCol Paula Fraser, 19 Wing Deputy Wing Commander and AGM Guest Speaker
President’s Commendation
Bette Janes, 888 Wing
NATIONAL AWARDS
Order of Excellence – Bob Sacre (111)
Wing of the Year – 783 Wing Calgary
Life Membership (Honorary) – Ted Gibbon (888), C.L. Tommy Thomas (413), James Leskewich (700), Al Low (703) and Stephen Macdonnell (783)
Len Baldock Memorial Member of the Year – Ralph Murphy (102)
Meritorious Service Award – Cecile Thompson (444), Pat Sulek (783), Don Matthews (783), Daryl Wright (888), Clyde Healey (432), and Donna Kuehl (404)
Distinguished Service Award – Dan Miller (201), and Jack Shapka (888)
Christina Handler Award – Betty Kuchynski (888)
408-437 Wing Award for Best Annual Report – 700 Wing and 418 Wing
Best Newsletters – 600 Wing and 888 Wing
NORAD Trophy – Milan Kroupa (441)
Award of Merit
Don Hilchey, 888 Wing
2017
PACIFIC GROUP AWARDS
WING OF THE YEAR - 899 (North Okanagan|) Wing Vernon
MEMBER OF THE YEAR - Tracy Gillis, 808 (Thunderbird) Wing Nanaimo
COUPLE'S AWARD - Hank & Linda Verdenhalven, 888 (Komox) Wing
BIGFOOT AWARDS
Milford "Bud" Wilds, RVP VI, 888 (Komox)| Wing Comox
Gordon Redman, President 899 (North Okanagan) Wing Vernon
Tracy Gillis, President, 808 (Thunderbird) Wing Nanaimo
Roy Sauer, Vice President, 899 (North Okanagan) Wing Vernon
Ian Whiting, President 801 (Vancouver) Wing
Don & Jan Hogan, 888 (Komox) Wing Comox
PRESIDENT'S COMMENDATION
Audrey Donovan, 888 (Komox) Wing Comox Ladies Auxiliary
Jack Lightburn, 808 (Thunderbird) Wing Nanaimo
Don Chamberlain, 808 (Thunderbird) Wing Nanaimo
PRESIDENT'S AWARD
George Miller, Honourary President Pacific Group, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing Chilliwack
NATIONAL AWARDS
Award of Merit (AM)
Bruce Elford, 888 (Komox) Wing Comox
Larry Hemphill, 101 Sqn Port Hardy
Bernard McNicholl, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing Chilliwack
Renate Daws, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing Chilliwack
Award of Distinction (AD)
Stan Krock, 888 (Komox) Wing Comox
Jim Pollock, 101 Sqn Port Hardy
Ellen Crutch, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing Chilliwack
Sheila Hershey, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing Chilliwack
Meritorious Service Award (MSA)
Dennis Dupuis, 888 (Komox) Wing Comox
Life Membership (Honourary) Award
Reginald L. Daws, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing Chilliwack
Distinguished Service Award (DSA)
Bob Hemphill, 101 (North Island) Squadron, 888 (Komox) Wing
Christina Handler Award
Belva Hill, 899 (North Okanagan) Wing Vernon
Best Newsletters
888 (Komox) Wing
2015
PACIFIC GROUP AWARDS
Wing of the Year - 801 (Vancouver) Wing
Member of the Year - Ursula Gunther, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing
Couple's Award - Reg & Juanita Tressel, 888 (Komox) Wing
President's Award - 801 (Vancouver) Wing
NATIONAL AWARDS
Award of Merit (AM)
Brian Lavigne, 888 (Komox) Wing
Ursula Gunther, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing
David Deal Barrett, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing
Award of Distinction (AD)
Dave Gage, 101 Squadron Port Hardy
Jock McLaren, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing
Glen Sweetman, 888 (Komox) Wing
Stu Richardson, 883 (Kelowna) Wing
Ken Sinclair, 883 (Kelowna) Wing
Meritorious Service Award (MSA)
Charles Hazleton, 888 (Komox) Wing
Grant Papineau, 879 (Earl MacLeod) Wing]
Gerry Bullen, 888 (Komox) Wing
Life Membership (Honourary) Award
Don Hogan, 888 (Komox) Wing
Distinguished Service Award (DSA)
Jan Hogan, 888 (Komox) Wing
Stanley (Paddi) Paddison, 883 (Kelowna) Wing
Order of Excellence
Al Hampshire, 888 (Komox) Wing
Best Newsletters
888 (Komox) Wing