Nominate your colleagues for the External Awards!
January 21, 2021 – Defence Stories

Each year, the Defence Team celebrates the achievements of our members through the Corporate Awards and Recognition program.
The program not only includes awards that are internal to the Defence Team, but there are a set of External Awards that are open to all public servants as well, and in some cases all Canadians.
The External Awards are a great opportunity to publicly recognize the achievements and contributions that Department of National Defence (DND) employees and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members make to Canadian society and the public service.
Fast Fact:
Recognizing someone’s accomplishments can have a positive impact on their morale which, in turn, helps the Defence Team as a whole. So, if you have a worthy individual in mind, don’t hesitate to nominate them. The time to share and recognize excellence for 2020 achievements within the Defence Team is now.
Overview of the External Awards
- APEX Awards of Excellence
The APEX Awards of Excellence highlights management excellence and leadership of federal public service executives.
Deadline: January 25, 2021
- Public Service Award of Excellence
Recognizes employees and teams (both DND civilian employees and CAF members) who have demonstrated excellence while achieving results for Canadians. It is also an occasion to honour the contribution of employees who have 60 years of service or more.
Deadline: TBA
- Canadian Honours Program
Canadian honours are presented by the governor general to celebrate and thank extraordinary people for their tremendous contributions to our country.
Deadline: Nominations accepted year-round
- Chief Information Officer Community Awards
Acknowledges and honours excellence in a variety of programs and initiatives within the Government of Canada Chief Information Officer community.
Deadline: TBA
Don’t delay! Nominate someone today!
Here’s how:
Complete the appropriate nomination form in full, obtain the required letters of support, and submit to your L1 Awards and Recognition Coordinator (Accessible only on the National Defence network).
More Information:
- View the External Awards webpage (Accessible only on the National Defence network) for more detailed information.
- Nominate a colleague for a Celebrating Excellence Award
- Nominate a colleague for a DM Commendation Award