The Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) is proud to announce the official opening of the nomination period for the 2027 Department of War (DoW) Excellence in Practice (EIP) Awards.
Every day, across the globe, dedicated professionals work tirelessly to ensure the DoW travel enterprise operates smoothly, securely, and efficiently. Whether they are implementing a new cost-saving process, providing unparalleled support to a traveler in transit, or leading a team through a complex system transition, these individuals are the backbone of our mission.
The EIP Awards are our opportunity to pause, recognize, and celebrate those who continuously go above and beyond.
We need your help to find them.
If you know a colleague, a supervisor, someone in your Transportation Office, or a member of your Defense Travel System (DTS) or Government Travel Charge Card team, who exemplifies excellence, we strongly encourage you to submit a nomination.
The 2027 Award Categories
This year, we have added two new awards to honor excellence across seven distinct categories designed to capture the wide range of expertise required to support the DoW travel mission:
- NEW The Beacon (Transportation Team Award): Recognizes an entire Transportation Office (TO) or Passenger Travel Office (PTO), department, or organizational unit and recognizes collective innovation, successful program execution, and community-wide service excellence. It can also honor those who may not exclusively process passengers but who manage critical, related transportation and travel logistics.
- NEW The Trailblazer (Transportation Individual Award): recognizes an outstanding local Transportation Office (TO) Lead (either Service Member or Department of War Civilian) whose leadership, technical expertise, and dedication have significantly optimized transportation operations for their organization and personnel.
- The Champion: A Lead Defense Travel Administrator (LDTA) who goes above and beyond in providing mentoring and training to their organization.
- The Elite: A local help desk team whose superior efforts result in continuous improvement and outstanding customer care.
- The Icon: A major command or agency whose strategies and tactics enhance their travel program capabilities for their subordinate sites.
- The Premier: An Agency Program Coordinator (APC) who demonstrates an extraordinary and exemplary commitment to cardholders and stakeholders through proactive education, effective communication, responsive customer service, and outstanding program coordination.
- The Paramount: A Compliance Tool Administrator (CTA) whose perception and advisability through customer service, training, and staff development initiatives lead to an improvement in their organization's travel program.
How to Nominate
Submitting a nomination is simple. Visit the Awards page to download the nomination package. You will be asked to provide a brief narrative outlining the nominee's achievements and the specific impact they have made.
Note: Nominations may be submitted by supervisors, peers, or subordinate staff members.
Important Dates to Remember
- Nominations Open: August 10, 2026
- Nominations Close: September 30, 2026
- Winner Notification: December 9-14, 2026
- Awards Ceremony: The 2027 EIP Award winners will be officially recognized during a special presentation at the GovTravels Symposium in February 2027.
Don't let outstanding work go unnoticed. Help us celebrate the best in DoW travel!
Learn about past recipients and their incredible accomplishments: