5.11.2006 ET

(CSRwire) SPRINGFIELD, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 11, 2006--The SemperComm Foundation, a charitable nonprofit organization founded to boost the morale of U.S. service members stationed at overseas remote bases, today announced the 2006 recipients of SemperComm Award winners. The award is given to active-duty U.S. military members who are stationed at remote locations overseas and who go out of their way to boost the morale and welfare of their fellow service members. Awardees' duty locations are often classified, and because of their smaller size, the stations lack the basic communications, entertainment and recreation support that larger military facilities have.

"The SemperComm awardees frequently find ways to fill the gaps to keep their comrades' spirits up while they're stationed so far away from home," said SemperComm Foundation Executive Director Lara Coffee. "They exemplify service--the kind of service SemperComm itself likes to provide. Our award winners work hard to keep troop morale up, which is essential for our uniformed men and women, especially when they're thousands of miles from the nearest telephone, ball park or movie theater. Good morale is essential for keeping our military men and women focused on the job at hand and getting home safely," she added.

The 2006 SemperComm Foundation Award winners are:

-- Capt. Stephen M. Jaksec, ARNG, of Tampa, FL; and Sgt. 1st Class Robert L. Foster, ARNG, of Johnstown, PA, both currently stationed in Habbaniyah, Iraq. Jaksec is a former resident of Johnstown. The two were nominated as a team.

-- 1st Sgt. David Hamilton, ARNG, of Allentown, PA, currently stationed in Ramadi, Iraq.

-- Capt. Alfred L. Njie, USMC, of Camp Pendleton, CA, recently returned from a deployment in Iraq. Njie is a graduate of Notre Dame University in South Bend, IN.

-- Petty Officer 1st Class Geoffrey R. Gotsch, USN, of Oceanside, CA, a chaplain currently stationed in Fallujah, Iraq. Gotsch is originally from Pottstown, PA.

SemperComm award winners are chosen via nomination applications received from all branches of the U.S. military. This year's awards were presented at the 2006 SemperComm Gala and Silent Auction conducted at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Washington, D.C.

About The SemperComm Foundation

The SemperComm Foundation is a charitable nonprofit organization founded to boost the morale of U.S. service members stationed at overseas remote bases, by providing them with the means to communicate with loved ones back home and with access to a variety of entertainment equipment in order to make life at remote postings more bearable. The name SemperComm (Always Communications) is derived from the Marine Corps motto "Semper Fidelis" (Always Faithful). SemperComm is supported by its title partner, Computer Systems Center Incorporated (CSCI); its entertainment partner, Stars For Stripes; and its presenting sponsor, PC Recycler. For information about SemperComm, visit www.sempercomm.org.

NOTE: Printable photos and bios of all five winners are available for download from Media Room on the SemperComm website at www.sempercomm.org.


Copyright Business Wire 2006

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