Bolden Is First Recipient Of The Doolittle Memorial Award

The Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation presented NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (pictured in file image) with the Gen. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle Memorial Award at the organization's Gold Medal Gala Thursday in Los Angeles.

Bolden is the first recipient of this award, which honors Gen. Doolittle's leadership as a founding board member of what began as the Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Fund. The foundation presented the award to Bolden, a retired Marine Corps major general, for his outstanding military service, expert management as NASA's 12th 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 as head of NASA."

The stated mission of the foundation is to provide educational and charitable services for the purpose of honoring living and deceased members of the Tuskegee Airmen and other persons who have made significant contributions in the field of aviation, aerospace and science technology. TASF provides scholarships to assist financially disadvantaged and deserving young men and women in the pursuit of their educational goals, preferably leading to careers in the fields of aviation, aerospace and science technology.

FMI: www.taisf.org, www.nasa.gov