Colonel (ret) Christopher Holshek, Senior Civil/Military Adviser to Narrative Strategies and Vice President of the Civil Affairs Association has been awarded the NATO Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) Award of Excellence 2021.
Colonel Holshek is a dedicated retired U.S. Army Civil Affairs Officer with over three decades of civil-military conflict management experience at multiple levels and settings. He supported the establishment of a solid framework for NATO CIMIC and U.S. Civil Affairs entities to explore possibilities of cooperation in the fields of academic work, doctrine, concepts, and training and education.
Colonel Holshek was specially nominated for his enduring commitment between U.S. Civil Affairs and the Civil-Military Cooperation Center of Excellence. The CIMIC synchronization project focuses on NATO CIMIC and U.S. Civil Affairs familiarization to identify the similarities within the capabilities and exploit the existing professional crosswalks to enhance interoperability.
The intent is that the CIMIC Award of Excellence should be given annually to one individual and one institutional Awardee for their outstanding contributions and engagement.