By MC1 Lewis Hunsaker

NPS Alumnus and retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Tom Winant, left, and NPS Student Lt. Forrest N. Bush display their Navy League Awards for Outstanding Academic Achievement during the 2015 Fall Graduation Awards Ceremony in Herrmann Hall, Dec. 8. Winant received the Navy League award when he graduated from NPS in 1970.

"I was very surprised to be receiving this award," said Bush. "It's truly an honor. I've just been doing the best I can in classes and this award is a reflection of the hard work that I have put in."

Bush believes that his technical thesis on Vulnerability Research in Long Term Evolution or (LTE) helped contribute to him receiving this award.

"It meant the world to me when I received this award and I hope it means the word to him," said Winant. "Because it's not a question of how high you stand but how far you've come. It certainly reflects a lot of work and I hope he takes it as a great honor, because it is."

The Navy League recipient must maintain an outstanding academic record exhibited by academic achievement, thesis research, motivation and community involvement.

Also receiving awards during the 2015 fall quarter awards ceremony were: NPS Outstanding Academic Achievement Award for International Students recipient Chilean Navy Lt. Cmdr. Oscar Garcia; Association of the U.S. Army, General Joseph W. Stillwell Chapter, Award for Outstanding Army Student recipient Army Maj. Rustin Jessup; NPS Superior Service Award recipient Lt. Cmdr. Carrie Paben; USMC Superior Service Award recipient Marine Corps Maj. Joshua Gregory and Military Officer's Association of America Award recipient Air Force Maj. Karen A. F. Landale.