Awards and Recognition

Department Emeritus Status

Year	Awarded By	Recipient
2023	27th Encampment	Douglas E. McGovern, PCC, Camp 1
2013	17th Encampment	Thomas E. Schmidt, PDC, Camp 1
2013	17th Encampment	Roy A. Lafferty, PDC, Camp 4
2011	15th Encampment	James R. Knopke, PDC, Camp 5
2007	11th Encampment	Franklin C. Bergquist, PDC, Camp 1
2007	11th Encampment	Alan L. Russ, PDC, Camp 16
2007	11th Encampment	Dean K. Speaks, PDC, Camp 1

---

William W. Nixon Camp of the Year Award
(First Awarded in 1997)

Year	Awarded By:	Recipient
2025	Conrad M. Fisher	Pvt. John N. Eckes Camp 10, Winfield
2024	Thomas E. Schmidt	Sgt. Samuel J. Churchill Camp 4, Lawrence
2023	Robert D. Boyd II	Old Abe Camp 16, Topeka
2022	K. Kirk Nystrom	Franklin Camp 5, Olathe
2019	Michael A. Todd	Old Abe Camp 16, Topeka
2018	Mark A. Britton	Old Abe Camp 16, Topeka
2017	Mark A. Britton	Humboldt Camp 9, Humboldt
2016	Kent M. Melcher	Humboldt Camp 9, Humboldt
2015	Rocky L. Bartlow	Franklin Camp 5, Olathe
2014	Rocky L. Bartlow	Old Abe Camp 16, Topeka
2013	Roy A. Lafferty	Corp. Patrick Coyne Camp 1, Wichita
2012	Roy A. Lafferty	Old Abe Camp 16, Topeka
2011	James R. Knopke	Old Abe Camp 16, Topeka
2010	James M. Converse	Corp. Patrick Coyne Camp 1, Wichita
2009	Craig A. Sundell	Franklin Camp 5, Olathe
2008	Roy A. Lafferty	Sgt. Samuel J. Churchill Camp 4, Lawrence
2007	Randal L. Durbin	Sgt. Samuel J. Churchill Camp 4, Lawrence
2006	James R. Knopke	Corp. Patrick Coyne Camp 1, Wichita
2005	Thomas E. Schmidt	Corp. Patrick Coyne Camp 1, Wichita
2004	Kenneth R. Spurgeon	Corp. Patrick Coyne Camp 1, Wichita
2003	Alan L. Russ	Corp. Patrick Coyne Camp 1, Wichita
2002	Randall M. Thies	(recipient not identified)
2001	Kenneth D. Strader	Old Abe Camp 16, Topeka
2000	Franklin C. Bergquist	Old Abe Camp 16, Topeka
1999	Dean K. Speaks	(recipient not identified)
1998	Dean K. Speaks	(recipient not identified)
1997	Dean K. Speaks	Corp. Patrick Coyne Camp 1, Wichita

Leander Stillwell Outstanding Achievement Award
(First Awarded in 2004)

Year	Awarded By	Recipient
2025	Conrad M. Fisher	Thomas E. Schmidt, Camp 1
2024	Thomas E. Schmidt	Lane D. Smith, Camp 5 Michael J. Hadl, Camp 4
2023	Robert D. Boyd II	Joshua S. Young, Camp 5
2022	K. Kirk Nystrom	Gary W. Kraus, Camp 16
2019	Michael A. Todd	Barrett E. Young, Camp 9
2014	Rocky L. Bartlow	Roy A. Lafferty, Camp 4
2010	James M. Converse	Douglas E. McGovern, Camp 1
2008	Roy A. Lafferty	James R. Knopke, Camp 5
2007	Randal L. Durbin	Thomas E. Schmidt, Camp 1
2006	James R. Knopke	Alan L. Russ, Camp 16
2004	Kenneth E. Spurgeon	Dean K. Speaks, Camp 3

Captain Patrick H. Coney Award for Brother of the Year
(First Awarded in 1997)

Year	Awarded By	Recipient
2025	Conrad M. Fisher	Michael J. Hadl, Camp 4
2024	Thomas E. Schmidt	James D. Thornton, Camp 5
2023	Robert D. Boyd II	Michael A. Todd, Camp 4
2022	K. Kirk Nystrom	Eric L. Crittenden, Camp 10
2019	Michael A. Todd	Robert D. Boyd II, Camp 9
2018	Mark A. Britton	Dale L. Rouse, Camp 1
2017	Mark A. Britton	Ryan L. Todd, Camp 4
2016	Kent M. Melcher	Mark A. Britton, Camp 1
2015	Rocky L. Bartlow	William E. Fischer, Camp 5
2014	Rocky L. Bartlow	Jerry W. Reiman, Camp 16
2013	Roy A. Lafferty	Rocky L. Bartlow, Camp 16
2012	Roy A. Lafferty	Kent M. Melcher, Camp 16
2011	James R. Knopke	Robert L. Wandel, Camp 4
2010	James M. Converse	Dale L. Rouse, Camp 1
2009	Craig A. Sundell	James M. Converse, Camp 5
2008	Roy A. Lafferty	Matthew G. Toll, Camp 5
2007	Randal L. Durbin	James R. Knopke, Camp 5
2006	James R. Knopke	Thomas E. Schmidt, Camp 1
2005	Thomas E. Schmidt	Douglas E. McGovern, Camp 1
2004	Kenneth R. Spurgeon	Alan L. Russ, Camp 16
2003	Alan L. Russ	Franklin C. Bergquist, Camp 1
2002	Randall M. Thies	(recipient not identified)
2000	Franklin C. Bergquist	Jeffrey L. Dunaway, Camp 16
1999	Dean K. Speaks	(recipient not identified)
1998	Dean K. Speaks	(recipient not identified)
1997	Dean K. Speaks	Jerry Seery, Camp 1

PDC Dean K. Speaks Award for Recruiter of the Year*
(First Awarded in 1997)

Year	Awarded By	Recipient
2024	Thomas E. Schmidt	Conrad M. Fisher, Camp 16
2023	Robert D. Boyd II	Joseph E. Chrisman, Camp 10
2022	K. Kirk Nystrom	Dennis L. Lawrence, Camp 4
2019	Michael A. Todd	Otis C. Crawford Jr.  Camp 9
2018	Michael A. Todd	William F. Riedell  Camp 1
2017	Michael A. Todd	Lane D. Smith  Camp 5
2016	Kent M. Melcher	William E. Fischer Jr.  Camp 9
2015	Rocky L. Bartlow	Old Glory Camp 7
2014	Rocky L. Bartlow	Kent M. Melcher, Camp 16
2012	Roy A. Lafferty	Robert L. Wandel, Camp 4
2008	Roy A. Lafferty	Franklin C. Bergquist, Camp 1
2007	Randal L. Durbin	Corp. Patrick Coyne Camp 1
2006	James R. Knopke	Randal L. Durbin, Camp 16 Craig A. Sundell, Camp 4
2005	Thomas E. Schmidt	Craig A. Sundell, Camp 4
2004	Kenneth R. Spurgeon	Roy A. Lafferty, Camp 4 Craig A. Sundell, Camp 4
2003	Alan L. Russ	Kenneth R. Spurgeon, Camp 1
2002	Randall M. Thies	(recipient not identified)
2000	Franklin C. Bergquist	Jeffrey L. Dunaway, Camp 16
1999	Dean K. Speaks	(recipient not identified)
1998	Dean K. Speaks	(recipient not identified)
1997	Dean K. Speaks	Jerry Seery, Camp 1

John Clem Award for Accomplishments by a Junior Member or Junior Associate
(First Awarded in 2012)

Year	Awarded By	Recipient
2012	Roy A. Lafferty	Ryan L. Todd, Camp 4

Joseph Walter Memorial Preservation Award

Year	Awarded By	Recipient
2000	Franklin C. Bergquist	City of Wellington
2000	Franklin C. Bergquist	State of Kansas, Division of Facilities Management, Department of Administration
2000	Franklin C. Bergquist	American Legion Post, Emporia