PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – The chairman of the 2006 North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command Combined Federal Campaign was awarded the 2006 National CFC Military Civilian Hero Award for his efforts with the CFC and other volunteer activities in the community.
Kirk Brown is a civilian employee in the NORAD and USNORTHCOM Command and Control Systems Directorate. The CFC Hero Award, which is presented annually to federal workers from the military, military civilian, civilian, and postal communities by the U. S. Office of Personnel Management, recognizes Brown for his many CFC activities in the Pikes Peak Region.
“Mr. Brown’s hard work, personal dedication and positive attitude were obvious throughout the campaign, and the results prove it," said Maj. Gen. Paul J. Sullivan, NORAD and USNORTHCOM chief of staff. "I am extremely proud and impressed. What a performance!”
CFC is the world’s largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign, with more than 300 CFC campaigns throughout the country and internationally that raise millions of dollars each year. Pledges made by federal civilian, postal and military donors during the campaign season support eligible non–profit organizations that provide health and human service benefits throughout the world.
Brown is one of three military civilians and 11 federal personnel to be recognized in four different sectors of the federal government: military uniformed, military civilian, U.S. Postal and federal agency. His nomination for the CFC Hero Award is a testament to his incredible volunteerism and achievements, said Barbara Fitz, director of the CFC Pikes Peak Region,
“Kirk Brown is a joy to work with," she said. "He is an enthusiastic volunteer with a generous heart for championing other people's causes.”
Brown stepped in mid-campaign as the NORAD and USNORTHCOM CFC project officer and was charged with planning, implementing and overseeing all aspects of the campaign on behalf of more than 1,300 employees, all in addition to doing his regular duties. As the 2006 project officer, he had the highest number of unit award winners in NORAD’s and USNORTHCOM’s history. His efforts led the commands to raise more than $204,091, achieving 103 percent of their goal. NORAD and USNORTHCOM was awarded the CFC Gold Award and he received The Pikes Peak CFC Regional Military Civilian Hero Award as an Outstanding CFC Project Officer.
Brown said he appreciates all the other CFC volunteers in the commands and everyone who made the 2006 campaign a success by contributing.
“CFC is an outstanding opportunity to give back to the charities of your choice, locally and nationally, and in an organized, flexible, once-a-year effort – a real team experience,” Sullivan said. "This [award] recognizes the spirit of giving in the command, plus the hard work of all the volunteers.”
The CFC Hero Award also recognized Brown for his volunteer efforts in local activities and organizations, including the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon and the U.S. Air Force Academy.
“Mr. Brown is well deserving of this recognition. I can think of no other person more deserving of receiving this recognition," said Richard Morales, NORAD and USNORTHCOM Network Resource Management branch chief "His dedication to CFC is to be lauded. Kirk is continually 'on-fire' for CFC, and his enthusiasm is contagious.”
Volunteering is a personal journey, Brown said, and he urged people to draw on personal experiences when deciding which cause to contribute to in the CFC. His own passion for giving back and volunteering was generated out of the tragedies in his life.
“My father passed away due to heart disease, my mother passed away due to complications of diabetes, my father-in-law has Alzheimer’s disease, and my grandfather passed away due to heart disease at the age of 59,” he said.
Brown, who previously served as the CFC Project Officer while on active duty as 3636th Combat Crew Training Wing Executive Officer, U.S. Air Force Survival School, Fairchild AFB, Wash., has volunteered to continue as the
NORAD and USNORTHCM project officer for the 2007 campaign season, which kicks off in October.
U.S. Northern Command was established to provide command and control of Department of Defense homeland defense efforts and to coordinate defense support of civil authorities. NORAD is a bi-national United States and Canadian organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America.