The Sea Scout Leadership Award is presented by councils, areas, regions, and the BSA National Council to Sea Scouts and Sea Scouters who have made exceptional contributions to Sea Scouting and who exemplify the Scout Oath and Scout Law. I am pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the National Sea Scout Leadership Award. They will be formally recognized at an online National Bridge of Honor on May 27th at 8 pm central time – during the same event, we will also recognize the new National Flagship and will conduct a change of watch for the National Boatswain. The event will be streamed live via our Facebook page so please plan to join us!
Hannah Carter 
Martha Fields 
Jordyn Alexis 
Bruce Johnson 
Rob Freas 
Cassie Johnson
Hannah Carter has served as National Boatswain for the 2019 to 2020 term. She started with a clear and ambitious plan and has accomplished a great deal of it. She built and led an effective National Quarterdeck and has effectively used social media to develop better communication with youth in ships across the country. Hannah plans to stay engaged with Quarterdeck projects as she enters college this fall.
Martha Fields served on the National Quarterdeck and was a key contributor to most of the Quarterdeck’s projects this past year. In addition she has served on the National Marketing team as a webinar host and postcast co-host. During the same time she has served as Sam Houston Area Council’s boatswain. This year Martha moves up to serve as National Boatswain’s Mate.
As Western Region Boatswain, Jordyn Alexis has served on the National Quarterdeck and has been a key part of national marketing campaigns, training development, and event planning. Jordyn will be continuing her national support of Sea Scouts by joining the National Program and Training team, initially to assist with a modernization of ILSS.
Bruce Johnson has served Sea Scouts at the Regional and National levels for decades but his leadership over the past couple of years in helping develop the Sea Scout / Coast Guard Auxiliary relationship has been extraordinary and has laid the groundwork for a partnership that is strategic to the growth of Sea Scouts over the next few years.
Rob Freas serves as Skipper and Council Commodore but is being recognized with the National SSLA for his work in revamping and expanding the SEAL program resulting in SEAL 2.0. As a result of his work the number of SEAL courses offered doubled this year and SEAL has entered into a new era.
Cassie Johnson has led our Sea Scout program and training team for a number of years, including overseeing the Sea Scout Manual as well as Seabadge and other training. She led development of the new IOWL and AOWLS courses now rolling out nationwide, and she has been a principal author of the SEAL 2.0 curriculum.
Past Recipients of the National Sea Scout Leadership Award
2016: Rachel West, Peter Schmidt, Nathasha Leahey-Sayles, Joshua Gilliland
2017: Charles Wurster, Mercedes Matlock, T.W. Cook
2018: Hugh Riley, Jack Otto, Janice Downey
2019: Dan Wilson, Larry King