Honoring Our Rising Stars!
The Charlie Allen Achievement Awards recognize outstanding early-to mid-career professionals from the intelligence, homeland, defense, and national security communities, as well as a senior leader who helps inspire their success.
The 2026 awards will open in late August. Stay updated! Email pr@insaonline.org to be added to our Achievement Awards mailing list.
Award Categories
Government
Richard J. Kerr
Government Award
Open to civilian government employees up to and including GS-13 or equivalent rank.
Homeland Security
John W. Warner
Homeland Security Award
Open to law enforcement, intelligence analysts, and first responders from federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies up to GS-13 or equivalent.
Industry
Edwin Land
Industry Award
Open to contractors and nongovernment employees with 5 to 10 years of non-executive experience. Important: This category is only open to employees of INSA member companies.
Mentorship
Joan A. Dempsey
Mentorship Award
Open to public, private, and academic professionals up to and including GS-15/O-6 or equivalent rank.
Military
William O. Studeman
Military Award
Open to uniformed military personnel up to and including O-4/E7.
Science & Technology
Sidney D. Drell
Science & Technology Award
Open to researchers and technologists (with 5 to 15-years experience) conducting innovative scientific or technological R&D with potential to significantly impact intelligence, defense, and/or homeland security.
About the Awards
Established in 2010, the Achievement Awards recognize the accomplishments of outstanding early to mid-career professionals (GS-13/O-4/E-7 or equivalent and below with the exception of the Joan A. Dempsey Mentorship Award) in intelligence, homeland and national security as well as the mentors who inspired them.
In 2023, INSA changed the program name to The Charlie Allen Achievement Awards to honor Charlie's lasting impact on the intelligence and national security workforce.
Each of the six awards, named after William Oliver Baker Award recipients, acknowledge the importance of mentors and inspire early careerists to strive for excellence in the intelligence, homeland security, and national security communities.
Although missions and requirements differ in each of the individual categories, common areas of excellence include: leadership, potential for growth, impact on the profession, mission accomplishment, and emerging professional standing and influence.
Joan A. Dempsey Mentorship Award
Open to all public, private and academic elements up to and including GS-15/O-6 or equivalent rank
Sidney D. Drell Science & Technology Award
Open to researchers and technologists [with 5 to 15 years experience] conducting innovative scientific or technological R&D with potential to significantly impact intelligence, defense, and/or homeland security.
Richard J. Kerr Government Award
Civilian government employees up to/including GS-13 or equivalent rank
Edwin H. Land Industry Award
Contractor/non-government employees
William O. Studeman Military Award
Uniformed military up to/including O-4
John W. Warner Homeland Security Award
First responders and domestic government employees up to and including GS-13 or equivalent rank