Col. (Ret.) David R. "Rick" Kiernan '66 Receives 2025 Joe Galloway Lifetime Achievement Award

Col. (Ret.) David R. "Rick" Kiernan, VMI Class of 1966, has been named the 2025 recipient of the Joe Galloway Lifetime Achievement Award, one of the highest honors in the field of Army public affairs. Presented annually by the Army Public Affairs Association, the award recognizes a single individual whose career reflects extraordinary, lifelong service to Army communication and the profession of public affairs. Named for renowned war correspondent Joseph L. "Joe" Galloway, the only civilian ever awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, this award honors individuals who have shaped how the Army communicates with the American public. Since its establishment in 2010, the Galloway Award has been reserved for those whose dedication, integrity, and professionalism have left a lasting mark on the Army's visual information and public affairs community. With this year's selection, Kiernan joins a distinguished group of public affairs leaders whose careers demonstrate an unwavering commitment to telling the Army's story truthfully and responsibly.Roots at VMI and 26 years of Uniformed Service. Col. Kiernan's path began in the barracks at VMI, where he originally entered with the Class of 1964 before returning to graduate with the Class of 1966. Quickly embraced as a Brother Rat, he earned the nickname "Long Island Flash." Col. Kiernan was active across post, serving on The Bomb staff as Assistant Literary Editor, running on the Cross Country and Track teams, singing in the Catholic Choir, and participating in the Newman Club and Religious Council. Those experiences, he later said, formed the bedrock of his professional life. In a note to The Cadet on November 12, he wrote: "Thank you for my VMI training… could not have done it without my Alma Mater." Kiernan's example reminds current cadets of the enduring link between VMI's values and excellence in communication: clarity, courage, and truth. Commissioned into the Infantry after graduation, Kiernan served in Germany, Alaska, Hawaii, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam. As an Infantry Advisor in Vietnam, he earned two Bronze Stars, the Air Medal, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and Honor Medal for valor and leadership. His transition into Public Affairs revealed the talent that would define his career. He edited The Yukon Sentinel—later selected as the Army Newspaper of the Year—before becoming Managing Editor of Infantry Magazine, the Army's oldest professional publication. His work consistently earned recognition, including three Keith L. Ware Awards for excellence in journalism. During the Gulf War, Kiernan served as Director of the Joint Information Bureau in Saudi Arabia, where he coordinated interviews for 400 reporters and served as spokesman for General Norman Schwarzkopf and coalition forces, placing him at the center of global media attention during a critical moment in U.S. military history. Additionally, In 1991, in the wake of the Soviet Union's collapse, Kiernan led the final Pentagon military delegation to Russia's Ministry of Defense, assisting in early efforts to transition its press operations away from state propaganda and toward transparency. His decades of work, historically significant and ahead of its time, earned him three Legion of Merit medals.Impact Beyond the Army. After retiring in 1993, Kiernan continued to influence global communication. As Director of Press Operations for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, he oversaw a press center supporting 5,000 journalists from nearly 200 countries and supervised a staff of more than 1,000 personnel across 30 venues. He later served as Senior Vice President for Strategic Communications at L-3/MPRI, guiding international public affairs efforts across 42 countries and managing more than $40 million in federal communications contracts. He also developed media training for the State Department, the Foreign Service Institute, and leaders across the defense community. Kiernan has lectured at Georgetown University, American University, and George Mason University, sharing a lifetime of experience with future communicators. His book, Headlines from the Front Line: The Military-Media Relationship—An Uneasy Truce, remains a widely referenced study of military-media dynamics. Throughout his career, both in the Army and beyond, Kiernan has mentored more than 25 interns and countless young professionals entering public affairs. Even in retirement, he continues to advise and mentor within the communications field. This commitment to developing the next generation of communicators is a central reason for his selection as the 2025 Galloway Award recipient.A VMI Legacy. Kiernan's recognition further highlights VMI's long tradition of producing leaders in journalism, communication, and public service. This tradition includes figures such as: H.G. "Buzz" McGowan '63, who as a cadet published the first editorial in any Virginia newspaper opposing segregation and urging integration at VMI. Charles "Chuck" McCulloch '71, an Associated Press correspondent, is remembered as one of the most courageous combat journalists of his generation. An assassin killed him while he reported from Cambodia in 1970, and he made the ultimate sacrifice in pursuit of the truth. The Newseum's Journalists Memorial in Washington, D.C., honors him. A Lifetime of Service RecognizedCol. Kiernan's selection as the 2025 Joe Galloway Lifetime Achievement Award recipient honors far more than a distinguished résumé. It acknowledges a lifetime spent advancing honest communication, strengthening the bond between our uniformed services and the public, and demonstrating the power of honor and integrity in leadership. Nearly sixty years after he first stepped through the arch of Jackson Memorial Hall, Col. Kiernan remains a Brother Rat whose dedication reflects the timeless ideals of the Institute he credits for shaping him. His career stands as a testament to VMI's mission and to the enduring impact of one man's commitment to truth.