The Air Force Institute of Technology and the AFIT Foundation and Association of Graduates recognized five alumni for their outstanding career achievements in a ceremony on June 19.  Lt. Gen. Linda S. Hurry, commander, Air Force Materiel Command, and AFIT alumnus, was the featured speaker.  Pictured (left to right) are: Lt. Gen. Linda S. Hurry, commander, Air Force Materiel Command; Lt. Col. Brian Bohan; Orval Powell; Dr. Anne Walker (daughter of (Ret.) Col. David E. Walker, Ph.D., SES); (Ret.) Maj. Gen. Moataz M. Salah, Ph.D.; Wyatt Rabe; and Dr. Lance Chenault, AFIT Foundation and Association of Graduates president.  (Contributed photo)

The Air Force Institute of Technology and the AFIT Foundation and Association of Graduates selected five graduates to receive recognition for their outstanding career achievements in a ceremony June 19. 

Lt. Gen. Linda S. Hurry, commander, Air Force Materiel Command, and AFIT alumnus, was the featured speaker and noted the impacts of AFIT education on developing Department of the Air Force leaders across the mission. 

The Air Force Institute of Technology and the AFIT Foundation and Association of Graduates recognized five alumni for their outstanding career achievements in a ceremony June 19.  Lt. Gen. Linda S. Hurry, commander, Air Force Materiel Command, and AFIT alumnus, was the featured speaker. Pictured is Lt. Gen. Linda S. Hurry speaking to attendees (Contributed photo).

"It is a privilege to recognize these exceptional leaders,” said Hurry. “Their continued excellence and steadfast dedication to Department of War missions demonstrate the profound and lasting impact AFIT alumni have on our national security."

Dr. Walter Jones, former AFIT chancellor, gave closing remarks.

The Awards

2025 AFIT Distinguished Alumni Award

This award is the highest honor bestowed upon an AFIT alumnus and recognizes the alumni that have distinguished themselves through high levels of career achievement.  For the 2025 award call, two nominees were recognized: (Ret). Col David E. Walker, Ph.D. and Orval Powell.

The Air Force Institute of Technology and the AFIT Foundation and Association of Graduates recognized five alumni for their outstanding career achievements in a ceremony on June 19.  Lt. Gen. Linda S. Hurry, commander, Air Force Materiel Command, and AFIT alumnus, was the featured speaker.  (Ret.) Col. David E. Walker, Ph.D., SES, was the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award winner, but passed away unexpectedly in 2020.  Dr. Walker’s daughter, Dr. Anne Walker, accepted the award on his behalf.  Lt. Gen. Linda S. Hurry, commander, Air Force Materiel Command (left) and Dr. Lance Chenault, AFIT Foundation and Association of Graduates president (right) presented the award.  (Contributed photo)

The Air Force Institute of Technology and the AFIT Foundation and Association of Graduates recognized five alumni for their outstanding career achievements in a ceremony on June 19.  Lt. Gen. Linda S. Hurry, commander, Air Force Materiel Command, and AFIT alumnus, was the featured speaker.  The 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Orval Powell (center), by Lt. Gen. Linda S. Hurry, commander, Air Force Materiel Command (left) and Dr. Lance Chenault, AFIT Foundation and Association of Graduates president (right).  (Contributed photo)

(Ret.) Col. David E. Walker, Ph.D., SES (Doctor of Philosophy in Aeronautical Engineering, 1994)

• Exceptional leadership and lifelong dedication to advancing science and technology for the United States Air Force and United States Navy
• Distinguished 26-year active-duty career as a master navigator, accumulating in over 2,700 flight hours in 65 aircraft types, and his subsequent rise to the Senior Executive Service
• Pivotal role as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Science, Technology and Engineering, where he guided the Air Force's more than$2 billion annual S&T program, provided critical counsel to Congress and senior leaders, and functionally managed over 14,000 scientists and engineers
• Visionary advocacy for attritable aircraft and hypersonic technologies, which established the technical and programmatic foundations for the nation's current collaborative combat aircraft and hypersonic vehicle programs
• Impactful service as Director of Technology for the Office of Naval Research, where he directed a $3.2 billion portfolio and a 4,000-person workforce to execute the U.S. Navy's S&T strategy, and for his leadership within the NATO Science and Technology Board
• Led efforts as Executive Director of the Wright Brothers Institute to accelerate innovation and technology commercialization for the Air Force Research Laboratory, cementing his legacy as a transformative leader

Orval Powell (Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering, 1999)

• Pioneering hypersonic advancement making transformational contributions at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) by advancing scramjet engine and hypersonic systems development leading to the X-51A flight demonstration
• Revolutionizing test capabilities by redesigning a scramjet test facility for the Hypersonic Technology (HyTech) Program enabling critical hypersonic vehicle advancements.
• Innovating sustainable propulsion by introducing a novel chemical mechanism for nitrous oxide-based propulsion which is now foundational in sustainable spaceflight and alternative fuels research
• Leading responsive space capabilities as the initial program manager for Rapid Response Space Works where creating a full-spectrum space launch capability
• Shaping modern systems engineering by implementing company-wide systems engineering processes at Millennium Engineering and driving adoption of model-based systems engineering (MBSE) across major programs at Axient and Astrion
• Driving dual-use innovation for multi-million-dollar independent R&D programs integrating digital engineering, AI/ML, and autonomous systems, resulting in multiple invention disclosures and patents
• Mentoring future aerospace leaders at the U.S. Air Force Academy as a faculty member where he guided accreditation, curriculum, and cadet research, influencing a generation of leaders.  His commitment is further demonstrated through leadership roles in AIAA, including Propulsion and Energy Group Director

International Alumni Award

Established in 2019, this award recognizes international alumni that have distinguished themselves through exceptional career achievement.  For the 2025 award call, one nominee was recognized:  (Ret). Maj. Gen. Moataz M. Salah, Ph.D.

The Air Force Institute of Technology and the AFIT Foundation and Association of Graduates recognized five alumni for their outstanding career achievements in a ceremony on June 19. Lt. Gen. Linda S. Hurry, commander, Air Force Materiel Command, and AFIT alumnus, was the featured speaker.  The International Alumni Award was presented to (Ret.) Maj. Gen. Moataz M. Salah, Ph.D. (center), by Lt. Gen. Linda S. Hurry, commander, Air Force Materiel Command (left) and Dr. Lance Chenault, AFIT Foundation and Association of Graduates president (right).  (Contributed photo)

(Ret.) Maj. Gen. Moataz M. Salah, Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering 2000)

• Provided over three decades of outstanding contributions as a military officer and professor in electrical and communications engineering
• Distinguished academic leadership, including service as Head of the Electronics and Communications Engineering Department at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT)
• Made significant research contributions to wireless communication systems and coding theory, including extensive publications on OFDM, CDMA, and MIMO systems
• Exemplary mentorship displayed in supervising numerous masters and doctoral theses and cultivating a new generation of engineers with both theoretical and practical expertise
• Advanced engineering education through curriculum development, quality accreditation initiatives, and the establishment of innovative technical laboratories