Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation Memorial Award

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden is the first recipient of the Gen. James H. “Jimmy” Doolittle Memorial Award, which was presented to him at the Tuskegee Airmen’s Scholarship Foundation Gold Medal Gala Thursday in Los Angeles.

Bolden a retired Marine Corps major general was presented the award for his outstanding military service, expert management as NASA’s 12^th administrator and qualities of leadership that Gen. Doolittle practiced.

‘I am honored to accept this award because my journey has been inspired by the example of courage and dedication against long odds that the Tuskegee aviators represent, “Bolden said. ‘ In addition to the example of my parents, I was fortunate to follow in the footsteps of the Tuskegee Airmen and serve my country as a Marine, an astronaut and now the head of NASA.