NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – The Marine Corps Aviation Association (MCAA) John Glenn Squadron honored three Naval Air Station Patuxent River Marines at its annual awards dinner held Jan. 31 at the River’s Edge Catering and Conference Center.

Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Johnny Kilgore of the H-53 Helicopter Program Office (PMA-261); Lt. Col. Victor Argobright assigned to Marine Corps Light/Attack Helicopter Program Office (PMA-276); and Maj. James Gibson from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 21 (HX-21) were recognized with 2012 awards for excellence in Marine Corps aviation.

The MCAA John Glenn Squadron presents the annual awards to the Marine Test Pilot/Naval Flight Officer, Acquisition Officer and Acquisition Staff Non-commissioned Officer of the Year. Founded in 1971, the MCAA is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote and recognize professional excellence in Marine Corps Aviation, support the fraternal bond of its membership, preserve Marine Corps Aviation heritage and safeguard the future of Marine Corps Aviation through awards programs, events, and publications. This was the eighth year the John Glenn Squadron has presented awards.

“I am honored the committee felt I was deserving,” said Gibson, MCAA Test Pilot of the Year, crediting his co-workers for the win.

“Success of the V-22 Integrated Test Team [ITT] is the direct result of the hard work, dedication and talent exhibited by the military, civilian and contract members of the team,” said Gibson, HX-21’s MV-22 Osprey department head and Government Flight Test director. “Their devotion to the mission and to delivering additional capabilities to the fleet users is what makes the ITT successful.”

Sharing credit for the award was common to all three awardees.

“I am very humbled by receiving this award,” said Argobright, the MCAA Acquisition Officer of the Year and the PMA-276 AH-1 Platform team lead. “We have a small but very dedicated team, and this award is really a testament to their hard work, vice any one person’s individual efforts. The close relationship our team has with the fleet has been one of the keys to our success.”

Kilgore, the Acquisition Staff Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year, said he was “very surprised to find out I had been nominated for the award let alone winning. The thing is, even though my name is on the award, I really credit the folks in Mission Systems Integrated Product team for this honor.” The former PMA-261 Mission Systems Integrated Production Team lead, Kilgore recently transferred to Training and Education Command (TECOM) at Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Va.

“If I had my way,” Kilgore said, “I would have included everyone's name from my IPT on the award, since it really was a team effort and I would not have received it if it wasn't for them.”