HEADQUARTERS, NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — Naval Air Systems Command's (NAVAIR) Command Communications Department earned several honors in the 2025 Navy Public Affairs Awards (NPAA) program, including two first-place awards and an honorable mention for excellence in storytelling, journalism and visual media production.
The NPAA program recognizes communication professionals and teams whose work advances Navy and Department of War objectives through impactful public affairs campaigns and content. The NAVAIR Command Communications team was acknowledged for producing outstanding multimedia products that showcase the people and missions behind naval aviation.
Naval Aviation News (NAN), the flagship publication of naval aviation since 1917, earned first place in the Print and Digital Media category for its coverage of fleet modernization, aviation innovation and warfighter readiness throughout 2025. The publication highlights advancements in technology, readiness, lethality and warfighter support across the naval aviation enterprise. The award-winning team includes Fred Flerlage, Emily Funderburk, Melissa Johnson and Rob Perry.
NAVAIR's Visual Information team earned first place in the Video Series category for its “Mission Minute” video series and received an honorable mention in the Video category for its “2024 AIRWaves Year in Review” production. Team members recognized for these achievements include Peter Fitzpatrick, James Karp, Steve Kays, Mikel Lauren Proulx and Kelly Schindler.
"These awards are a direct reflection of the immense talent, passion and dedication the Command Communications team members pour into their work every single day," said Marcia Hart, Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) Aviation Chief Communications Officer and NAVAIR Command Communications Director. "Their storytelling informs, engages and strengthens an understanding of our mission across the fleet, the Department of the Navy and the American public. This recognition is a testament to their commitment to excellence and ability to bring the naval aviation story to life."
For the NAN team, the award continues a legacy of documenting the people, platforms and innovations that define naval aviation.
"It has been a true honor to lead this team, and they deserve every bit of this award" said Emily Funderburk, editor-in-chief of Naval Aviation News. "Our publication is a success because of the team’s creative eye, ability to find and tell interesting and meaningful stories, and enthusiasm for naval aviation."
The Visual Information team's dual recognition highlights the growing role of video and multimedia storytelling in connecting audiences to the Navy's mission.
"Visual storytelling helps connect people to the missions and individuals who make naval aviation possible,” said Mikel Lauren Proulx, Visual Information team lead. “Every project is an opportunity to show the incredible work happening across our command and spotlight the workforce and warfighters who make it happen. We're honored by this recognition and excited to continue telling those stories."
Multimedia products, including the award-winning "Mission Minute" series and other command feature videos, are publicly available on NAVAIR’s official YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@NAVAIRSYSCOM.