The Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale Award for Inspirational Leadership was established in 1980 by United States Secretary of the Navy

United States Secretary of the Navy

The Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense...

 Edward Hidalgo

Edward Hidalgo

Edward Hidalgo served as the United States Secretary of the Navy in the Carter administration from October 24, 1979 to January 20, 1981...

 to honor the inspirational leadership of James Stockdale

James Stockdale

Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale was one of the most highly decorated officers in the history of the United States Navy.Stockdale led aerial attacks from the carrier during the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Incident...

, U.S. Navy, a Medal of Honor

Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...

 recipient in the Vietnam War

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

, who exhibited exemplary leadership while a prisoner of war in North Vietnam

North Vietnam

The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...

 for nearly eight years. The award were first made in 1981.

Award criteria

Each year two commanding officers below the grade of Captain (naval)

Captain (naval)

Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....

, are selected, one for the United States Atlantic Fleet and one from the United States Pacific Fleet

United States Pacific Fleet

The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...

. A board of peer-nominated officers, one for the Atlantic, and one for the Pacific, select the winners, based on the five criteria of inspirational leadership the Vice Admiral Stockdale identified in his writing and teaching on leadership.
These criteria are:

• Moralist: Have a commitment to a personal code of ethical conduct.
• Jurist: Demonstrate ability to establish policy which can be implemented and obeyed in the most difficult of circumstances.
• Teacher: Being an example of self-discipline and sensitivity to others with balanced perspective, creating organizational pride, job satisfaction, and a motivational climate.
• Steward: Being an example of personal commitment and an example to others in the maintenance of standards and loyalty.
• Philosopher: Show the ability to reason, explain the essence of reality, and recognize the need for forethought in dealing with uncertainty.

Award Winners

Year	Atlantic	Pacific
1981	CDR Commander (United States) In the United States, commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military title, depending on the branch of service. It is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Naval rank:In the United States...  John J. Coonan	CDR Commander (United States) In the United States, commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military title, depending on the branch of service. It is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Naval rank:In the United States...  Philip M. Qwast
1982	CDR E.L. Watkins	CDR G.R. Fisher
1983	CDR J.B. Johnston	CDR William J. Hancock
1984	CDR Frank L. Yusi	CDR Edward K. Kristensen
1985	CDR Larry L. Ernst	CDR W. Hudson
1986	CDR M.A. Rogers	CDR B.J. Coyle
1987	CDR C.W. Moore	CDR Michael Mullen Michael Mullen Michael Glenn "Mike" Mullen is a retired United States Navy four-star admiral, who served as the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2011. Mullen previously served as the Navy's 28th Chief of Naval Operations from July 22, 2005 to September 29, 2007...
1988	CDR W.J. Riffer	CDR J. Grossenbacher
1989	CDR R.M. Wikstrom	CDR Thomas B. Fargo Thomas B. Fargo Admiral Thomas Boulton Fargo served in the United States Navy during the late 20th century and early 21st century. He served as Commander, United States Pacific Command, at Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii from May 2, 2002 to February 26, 2005...
1990	CDR J.C. Holloway	CDR A.R. Gorthy
1991	CDR F.J. Dobrydney	CDR T.L Tarvis
1992	CDR B.W. Cavey	CDR Jonathan W. Greenert Jonathan W. Greenert Jonathan W. Greenert is a United States Navy admiral currently serving as the 30th Chief of Naval Operations. He previously served as the 36th Vice Chief of Naval Operations from August 13, 2009 to August 22, 2011. Prior to that, he served as Commander, U.S...
1993	No Award	CDR C.A. Miletich
1994	CDR R.D. Jenkins	CDR R.C. Massey
1995	CDR J.T. Bader	CDR F.M. Drennan
1996	CDR R.D. Holland	CDR James P. Wisecup James P. Wisecup James P. "Phil" Wisecup is a Vice Admiral and Naval Inspector General of the United States Navy.-Family and education:The son of James and Bettye Ruth Bach Wisecup, Phil Wisecup is a 1977 graduate of the United States Naval Academy...
1997	CDR J.L. Clark	CDR M.W. Kenny
1998	CDR M.E. Kosnick	CDR C.E. Haney
1999	CDR W.E. Carter	CDR B.E. Grooms
2000	CDR M.D. Davis	CDR R. Hennegan
2001	CDR J.L. Clark	CDR M.W. Kenny
2002	CDR P.H. Young	CDR J.W. Covell
2003	CDR K.J. Kovacich	CDR Charles M. Gaouette
2004	CDR S.D. Conn	CDR L.R. Hawkins
2005	CDR R.P. Burke	CDR J.W. Kilby
2006	CDR R.L. Clemmons	CDR B.T. Howe
2007	CDR Frank J. Olmo	CDR Craig A. Clapperton
2008	CDR Robert Smith Robert Smith - Music :*Robert Smith , lead singer/guitarist of The Cure*Bob Smith , founder, singer, keyboards and drums for Cat Mother & the All Night Newsboys...	CDR Paul J. Lyons
2009	CDR William J. Parker III	CDR Robert A. Baughman
2010	CDR Jeffrey M. Grimes	CDR Michael A. McCartney