Background: The AOC Pioneer Award is named in honor of Joseph W. Kearney. Joe Kearney was a technical leader at AIL and very instrumental with the Crows in the 1970s and early 1980s. He was the key individual taking a WWII era prototype countermeasure system for shipboard use and turning it into a production countermeasures system. The system he developed as the project engineer was the APR-9 and it was the cornerstone for countermeasures systems for all airborne, shipboard and submarine countermeasures for the next 40 years. In 1978 Joe served as chairman of the AOC National Security Affairs Committee (NSAC) and led a study to identify government procurement practices that were eroding the US Technology base. Later in his career, Joe was heavily involved in the capture and analysis of ELINT signals. A soft-spoken person who shunned the spotlight, Joe always had a smile on his face and was willing to offer assistance. Joe also was responsible for the development of various inputs for earlier volumes of the History of Electronic Warfare.

Presentation Venue: The Joseph W. Kearney Pioneer Award is presented at the AOC Annual Symposium and Convention Banquet. An alternative presentation venue is authorized based on the preference and availability of the recipient.