The “Red Tie” Award

LCDR Terry Wilton, U.S. Navy (Retired) — Posthumously

Through his distinguished 45-year Navy and Intelligence Community career, Terry Wilton earned the respect, admiration, and appreciation of all Naval Intelligence Professionals.

After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1977, Terry earned his NFO wings in 1978. After his first tour, he transitioned to the Naval Intelligence community (1630). His sea tours included Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron VAQ-134 intelligence officer and Air Wing 17 Intelligence Officer. His shore tours included standing the watch and managing special programs in some of our Navy’s, and our Intelligence Community’s premiere commands.

After retiring in 1994, Terry continued his service as a contractor and career Naval Intelligence officer, contributing immeasurably to our nation's security and helping to strengthen and expand some of our nation’s most critical intelligence programs and partnerships.

Vice Admiral (Ret) Jake Jacoby, during his tenure as NIP Chair, recruited Terry to be the NIP Executive Director, a position he held from 2009 until his passing in 2024. In that capacity, Terry was the face of every NIP function for 15 years, working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure everything related to NIP ran smoothly. A humble servant-leader, Terry provided instrumental support to the national leadership team for five consecutive NIP Chairs and six NIP Presidents.

Terry Wilton dedicated his entire adult life to service to others and epitomized the ethos of our profession – a quiet warrior just getting the job done. He truly distinguished himself and we honor his contributions to NIP, Naval Intelligence, our Navy, and our Nation.

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Mr. Michael R. Borland

Michael R. Borland has earned the respect, admiration, and appreciation of all Naval Intelligence Professionals through his long and distinguished 37-year career in Naval Intelligence.

He began his career in Naval Intelligence in 1987, following graduation from Johns Hopkins University, as an Operational Intelligence (OPINTEL) analyst focusing on the Soviet Navy. From 1998 to 2001 he was the first Naval Intelligence Manager of a special bilateral intelligence collection program. Mr. Borland served as ONI’s Operations Officer from 2001 to 2003 and was a key leader for ONI during the critical post-9/11 period, for which he was recognized with the Navy's Superior Civilian Service Award.

Subsequently, during his three years as program manager of the ONI Special Programs Office, he saw the program through a Congressionally directed transition and secured modernization funding for the effort. While serving as ONI's Senior Advisor for Collection Operations, he received the Presidential Rank Award (in 2015). Mr. Borland also served as the Deputy Commander of ONI from 2017 to 2019 until the position was permanently filled.

His current service as Senior Advisor for Collection and Partnerships has been truly transformational in ensuring that Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets are optimized to face the challenges of peer adversaries. As an early recognizer of Great Power Competition (GPC) and the coming need for a Pacific pivot by the U.S. Navy, Mr. Borland has worked creatively and in painstaking detail to increase Allied collaboration and capacity in the North Atlantic Ocean and Norwegian Sea, regions that are the crucible of strategic competition in the Euro-Atlantic Theater.

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