Awards

Winners: 2026
2025
2024
2023
2022

Overview

The MILAM 3D Printing Awards honor the individuals, or groups, that have exemplified outstanding achievement in 3D printing in support of DoW mission priorities.

These four awards examine not only how AM technologies are important in solving supply chain issues, but are becoming vital to enhancing capabilities that will improve Warfighter flexibility and readiness at the tactical edge.

Advanced manufacturing processes take dedication; the nominated individuals, or groups, will be recognized for all their hard work in bringing these innovations to fruition.

**All nominations will be collected & reviewed by the DSI advisory board**

Award Submissions are NOW CLOSED!

Education and Workforce Development Award

Presented in Partnership with America Makes

The Education and Workforce Development Award recognizes exemplary training and educational advocacy work. This annual award will be presented to an individual or group who has made recognized contributions that impact education and workforce development in Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing, impacting the DoW and the industrial base.

MIL AM, America Makes, and the Defense Strategies Institute would like to recognize an individual or group who demonstrates the following:

Leadership, service, and contribution in accelerating and building the talent stream across the industry to support the DoW and the industrial defense base.

Leadership: contributions to thought leadership and driving with a collaborative mission of America Makes and the DoW specific to education and workforce development.
Service: engagement with critical stakeholders across the industry and DoW to build and scale education and workforce development programs.
Contribution: being a collaborative, selfless resource and expert in contributing to bodies of knowledge, curricula, and assets that contribute to the goal of a strong talent stream in AM.

Submit a Nomination

Technical Achievement Award for 3D Printing Innovation

The Technical Achievement Award for 3D Printing Innovation will be presented to an individual or group in recognition of their profound contributions and diligent work in the field of additive manufacturing, as well as implementation in supporting the Defense Industrial Base. The award was established in 2021 by Defense Strategies Institute, to showcase current/future innovations occurring in the 3D printing space, which will benefit other members of industry, as well as government partners.

This award encourages continued efforts by industry and government toward developing 3D printing solutions that will benefit military operations. The award is presented to demonstrate how important AM technologies are in solving supply chain issues, and how each person, or group, is helping to lead the way in transforming how they are used.

Submit a Nomination

Award for Expeditionary & Tactical 3D Printing Excellence

The Award for Expeditionary/Tactical 3D Printing Excellence will be presented to an individual or group in recognition of their profound contributions & diligent work in delivering innovative advanced manufacturing solutions to the tactical edge.

The award was established in 2021 by Defense Strategies Institute to show how government & industry alike, are working to design & deploy 3D printers that can go anywhere and print (almost) anything at the point-of-need.

This award is meant to drive continued efforts by industry and government to work towards supplying the Warfighter with enhanced additive manufacturing capabilities that will improve readiness and reduce the time it takes to attain a critical part. The award is presented to an individual, or group, that demonstrates how their solutions can transform 3D printing capabilities at the edge, to become more agile and on-demand than ever before.

Submit a Nomination

Lifetime Achievement Award

The MILAM 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes consistent, distinguished service and will be presented annually to an individual who has made ground-breaking lifetime contributions with an enduring impact in the areas of Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Across the DoW.

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual, or group, who demonstrates:

Service:

Serves or has served the DoW honorably over the course of many years in various roles to help drive the integration of 3D printing technologies for the Warfighter.
Serves or has served as a key collaborator in working with other military partners to ensure such revolutionary technologies were properly fielded.
Contributes to the practice of additive manufacturing & its role in increasing flexibility in the battlespace.

Leadership:

Demonstrates outstanding contributions to the DoW.
Demonstrates evidence of leadership & has guided in the educating of the Warfighter on how to use 3D printed parts.
Earns recognition by colleagues in the DoW & additive manufacturing community.

Advocacy:

Advocates for the use of 3D printing methods across the DoW.
Engages in collaboration with key industry partners to ensure the technologies are being utilized in a way that will help transform the defense industrial base.