Nomination period for Sijan award opens Published July 7, 2015 By Janis El Shabazz Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- Nominations for the 2015 Lance P. Sijan U.S. Air Force Leadership Award are being accepted through Aug. 31. The Sijan award recognizes the accomplishments of officers and enlisted members who have demonstrated the highest quality of leadership in the performance of their duties and their personal lives. Nominees will be rated on their scope of responsibility, professional leadership, leadership image and community involvement between July 1, 2014, and June 30, 2015. The award categories are senior officer, junior officer, senior enlisted and junior enlisted. Individuals will compete in the category that corresponds to the grade held for the majority of the award period. Each major command, forward operating agency or direct reporting unit may submit one nomination in each of the four award categories. The Sijan Award was first presented in 1981, honoring Capt. Lance P. Sijan, a 1965 Academy graduate and first Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor. Sijan was shot down over Vietnam Nov. 9, 1967, evaded enemy forces for 45 days despite injuries, and later died in a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism. For more information, visit https://gum-crm.csd.disa.mil/app/login/redirect/home.