Department of Florida Commandant Bill Backes is the 2010 recipient of the William D. Carter Award. Bill is a past Commandant and current member of the Spring Hill Detachment #708. He moved through the chairs on both the Detachment and Department levels. He served on the National Professional Development Committee.
Bill has been Department and Detachment Marine of the Year, National, Department and Detachment Recruiter of the Year, and has been awarded The Distinguished Citizens Gold Medal, is a member of the Chapel of Four Chaplains Society and has earned eight Distinguished Citizen Silver Awards at the Department level.
Bill, a retired NY/NJ Port Authority Police Officer and his wife Miriam reside in Ocala, Florida.
2009 - Bill Hartley, South Carolina - Sumter #1202
2008 - Cal Walters, Alabama – P.L. Wilson #447
2007 - Leonard Palguta, South Carolina – Riverfront Marines #1132
2006 - John T. Hicks, Tennessee – Tri Cities #969
2005 - Lane Parker, South Carolina – James L. Hammons #939
Milton Ockman, Louisiana – Bayou Parish #905 (posthumously)
2004 - John Horton, South Carolina – Riverfront Marines #1132
2003 - John Hopkins, South Carolina – Palmetto #829
2002 - Award Rescinded (3)
2001 - Bette Jean Berry, Tennessee – Lt. Alexander Bonnyman #924
2000 - Karl Ekstrom, Tennessee – Lt. Alexander Bonnyman #924
1999 - Virgil L. Young Jr., Tennessee – Lt. Alexander Bonnyman #924
1998 - Albert F. Voltolina, Louisiana – Paul E. Boyd #579
Thomas B. Perrone Jr., South Carolina – Grand Strand #873
1997 - Unknown
1996 - Kevin Darcey, Louisiana – Houma Terrebonne #475
Ralph Fredette, Florida, Barefoot #918
1995 - Mary Perrone, South Carolina – Grand Strand #87
1994 - No Award presented (2)
1993 - Terry Chaisson, Louisiana – Houma Terrebonne #475
1992 - Robert Connally, Georgia
1991 - Roy A. Labat Jr., Louisiana Houma Terrebonne #475
1990 - Kenneth Presentbach, Louisiana – Houma Terrebonne - #475
1989 - Roy Neal, Louisiana – Houma Terrebonne #475
1988 - No Award presented (1)
1987 - Thomas Supaulski, Florida
1986 - Linwood Liner, Louisiana – Houma Terrebonne #475
1985 - Orris Belanger, Louisiana – Acadiana #488
1984 - Robert Pitcher, Florida – Clearwater #054
1983 - Ned Bergeron, Louisiana – Houma Terrebonne #475
Claude B. Edwards, Alabama
Notes
(1) 1988 – Cancellation of the Southeast Division Conference due to host Detachment problems
(2) 1994 – Nominations were submitted. The committee considered all nominees and found none that met the requirements
(3) 2002 – Award rescinded by the Committee
(4) 2005 – Awarded posthumously
SE Division Coins Available
