The Dalton Scholarship Program

How To Apply...

Members interested in applying for a scholarship for college course work should first maximize their use of Air Force tuition assistance. This will provide more opportunities for Dalton Scholarships to be used for professional development opportunities for which Air Force funding is not available, such as seminars, workshops, specialized lessons, and professional accreditation/certification preparation courses. Dalton Scholarships can also be used to cover remaining costs above what Air Force tuition assistance pays.

To apply for a Dalton Scholarship during the application window:

• Download and complete the Dalton Scholarship application form, available here, and have it endorsed by your commander, supervisor, or manager.
• Attach the completed application to an email and send it to the AFPAA Dalton Scholarship Committee at scholarship@afpaaa.org.
  
• For 2026, the window for applications to be accepted will begin on March 1, 2026 and will end on May 31, 2026.

The selectees for a Dalton Scholarship in 2025 were announced on July 12, 2025. See below for the list of the 2025 selectees.

Dalton Scholarship recipients in previous years are listed here.

Six New Dalton Scholarship Recipients Announced for 2025…

The Air Force Public Affairs Association has selected six recipients for the 2025 Brig. Gen. H.J. Dalton Scholarship Program. They are:

SrA Renee Blundon

Public Affairs Specialist

432nd Wing, Creech AFB, Nevada

GS-11 Adrian Cadiz

Assistant Director of Operations

4th Combat Camera Sq., Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina

TSgt Lucretia Cunningham

Public Affairs Specialist

926th Wing, Nellis AFB, Nevada

A1C Malia Heemsoth

Content Strategist

Air Force Production, Defense Media Activity, Fort Meade, Maryland

Capt Jymil Licorish

Public Affairs Advisor

33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin AFB, Florida

A1C Charles Merk

Jazz Trumpet, Regional Band

Band of the West, Joint Base San Antonio–Lackland, Texas

Normally, five $1,000 scholarships are awarded each year but extra funds were available this year. Payment will be made to the scholarship recipients upon successful completion of approved course work.

Chuck Merlo, chairman of AFPAA’s Dalton Scholarship Committee, said “Fifteen applications were received this year. Each applicant was recognized by their supervisors as outstanding performers. AFPAA wishes we could have provided each a scholarship. However, with the funds available our priority was to select recipients based upon their course of study and what would provide the greatest possible return to the Air Force.”

The scholarship program honors the legacy of Brig. Gen. H.J. Dalton, the first career Public Affairs officer to be promoted to brigadier general and lead SAF/PA.

“General Dalton worked tirelessly throughout his military and civilian careers to promote the advancement of the Public Affairs profession. He was absolutely committed to mentoring and encouraging the professional development of Public Affairs personnel” said Merlo.

Any enlisted, officer or civilian Air Force member, whether active, guard or reserve, working in one of the specialties of the Public Affairs career field – Band, Broadcasting, Visual Information/Combat Camera and Public Affairs – is eligible for a Dalton Scholarship.

Brigadier General Jerry Dalton

A Commitment to Education and Professional Development

The first career Public Affairs officer to make Brigadier General and head SAF/PA, Jerry Dalton worked tirelessly throughout both his military and civilian careers to promote the advancement of the Public Affairs profession.

Follow the links below to learn about the distinguished career of a true legend in the field of Public Affairs. In his Oral History, you’ll find numerous insights and sage advice on how to handle some of the many challenges PAs face.

General Dalton was well known for his commitment to mentoring and encouraging the professional development of Public Affairs personnel. He strongly promoted the value to PAs of taking advantage of the educational opportunities offered by programs like Education With Industry, the Air Force Institute of Technology, and the Air Force Short Course in Communications, and of achieving professional accreditation from organizations like the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

General Dalton was elected national president of PRSA in 1990. For years, he served as a member of The Champions for Public Relations Student Society of America, an organization of current and retired professionals seeking to provide superior public relations education and training opportunities for the career field through scholarships and awards programs. He co-chaired the national PRSA Education Affairs Committee; chaired the Technology Task Force; and served as a member of the Commission for Public Relations Education.

General Dalton was the founding president of the PRSA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PRSA committed to the development of programs to advance PR research, education, and scholarships to benefit the advancement of the profession.

He was featured in the 2007 edition of "Legacies from Legends in Public Relations" published by the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations. His tips to new members of the public relations profession in that publication is worthwhile reading for all PAs.

In addition to earning two Distinguished Service Medals, General Dalton was named The Outstanding Public Information Officer in Government by the Aviation–Space Writers Association in 1974. Boston University honored him with its Distinguished Communicator Award in 1990, and he was inducted into the DINFOS Hall of Fame in 1992.

In 2002, he was the recipient of the AFPAA’s President Award, presented to leaders who developed pioneering programs and policies that impact Air Force Public Affairs. And in 2021, he entered the inaugural class of the Air Force Public Affairs Hall of Fame — the “Pioneer Class”.

General Dalton passed away on November 1, 2020.

AFPAA is proud to partner with General Dalton's family — his wife Carolyn, daughter Cindy, and sons Robert and Steven — as we work together to continue fostering his emphasis on education and professional development. Through the establishment of the Dalton Scholarship Program, we seek to honor General Dalton's legacy and help nurture the next generation of Public Affairs professionals, just like he did. We thank the members of AFPAA whose generous contributions in General Dalton's memory make the program possible.

Previous Dalton Scholarship Recipients...

In partnership with General Dalton's family, the Air Force Public Affairs Association began the Dalton Scholarship program in 2022. Since then, twenty-three Air Force public affairs professionals have been awarded scholarships. Here are the previous year's winners of a Dalton Scholarship:

2022 Recipients

A1C Janae Masoner


Mass Communications Specialist, 139th Airlift Wing


Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, Missouri

Maj (Lt Col select) Natassia Cherne


Deputy Commander, Air Force News Agency

Joint Base San Antonio – Randolph, Texas

Capt Victoria Wright


Public Affairs Officer, 87th Air Base Wing


Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey

SrA Joseph Morales


Mass Communications Specialist, 87th Air Base Wing


Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey

SSgt Haley Phillips


Public Affairs Specialist, 315th Airlift Wing


Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina

CMSgt John Herrick


Senior Enlisted Advisor, 4th Combat Camera Squadron

Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina

2023 Recipients

SSgt Casey Dodd


Air Force Regional Bandsman, Band of the West


Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas

GG-12 Trevor Tiernan


Chief, Public Affairs, 67th Cyberspace Wing


Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas

MSgt Joseph Vigil


Public Affairs Superintendent, 87th Air Base Wing/PA


Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey

GS-9 Erin Wood


Chief, Community Events, 633rd Air Base Wing/Public Affairs


Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia

TSgt Izabella Workman


Public Affairs NCOIC, 352nd Special Operations Wing/Strategic Competition Cell


RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom

2024 Recipients

Lt Rebecca Abordo


Public Affairs Officer, 96th Test Wing


Eglin AFB, Florida

SSgt Alexi Bosarge


Media Operations NCOIC, Public Affairs, 57th Wing


Nellis AFB, Nevada

Sr Amn Lauren Cobin


Command Information Section Lead, Public Affairs, 5th Air Refueling Wing

MacDill AFB, Florida

Capt Jose Davis

Public Affairs Officer, HQ USAFE-Africa Public Affairs


Ramstein AB, Germany

TSgt Anthony Hyatt


Public Affairs Advisor, 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing


Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia

A1C Christopher Ornelas Jr.


Photojournalist, 71st Flying Training Wing, Public Affairs


Vance AFB, Oklahoma