CNAS Selects Jasmine Butler and Carisa Nietsche as 2021 Bacevich Award Recipients

Washington, June 24 2021 — The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is pleased to announce that Jasmine Butler and Carisa Nietsche have been selected as recipients of the 2021 Bacevich Award. The award was established in June 2007 in honor and memory of 1LT Andrew J. Bacevich Jr., USA, of Walpole, Mass., who died from wounds suffered during combat patrol operations as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Bacevich Award recipients are selected annually and are awarded to emerging leaders who exemplify courage, integrity, and commitment to public service.

“This year we recognize two leaders in national security with the Bacevich award,” said CNAS CEO Richard Fontaine. “Jasmine has organized hundreds of events that have together shaped and elevated the dialogue among our nation’s leading experts. And Carisa is a rising star who has already made important contributions to transatlantic security. We are delighted to name Jasmine and Carisa as recipients of this year’s award."

Jasmine Butler is the Events Manager for CNAS and has been with the organization for six years. Ms. Butler oversees the organization and execution of dozens of events each year, including the CNAS Annual Conference. Prior to joining CNAS, Ms. Butler was the Event Specialist for the Courtyard by Marriott, where she executed nearly 300 meetings and events per year with both corporate and social clients.

Carisa Nietsche is the Associate Fellow for the CNAS Transatlantic Security Program, where her research centers on European security, the role of China in Europe, and protecting democracy. She is also the coordinator for the Make Room Mentoring Network, which aims to empower communities underrepresented in national security, educate the next generation of leaders, and provide a platform to share their expert perspectives.

1LT Bacevich, age 27, was the son of Dr. Andrew J. Bacevich—a Vietnam veteran and prominent professor of international relations at Boston University—and was with the U.S. Army’s 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, based in Fort Hood, Texas. 1LT Bacevich was a brave, steadfast, and irrepressible leader who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. In his name, this award celebrates and commemorates the sense of duty, honor, and courage for which he is remembered.

Watch Ms. Butler and Ms. Nietsche accept the award during the CNAS 2021 National Security Conference session, The Pitch: A Competition of New Ideas.