At the October 1986 dedication ceremony for the Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center (NMITC), Mrs. Rufus Taylor offered the NMITC Commanding Officer, CAPT Robert Trafton, a donation to provide a memorial to her late husband, VADM Rufus Taylor, who was the first 1630 to serve as Director of Naval Intelligence. Because federal regulations prohibited the Navy from accepting such funds directly, then-DNI RADM William Studeman requested NIP form of a foundation to accept the donation on behalf of the Navy in order to honor Mrs. Taylor’s request.
Following the accomplishment of all legal requirements, including the drafting of Articles of Incorporation accepted by the state of Virginia in May of 1988, the first trustee meeting was held on 14 January 1989. This established the NIF as a tax-exempt educational and charitable organization chartered to solicit, receive, and administer donated funds and property to advance the awareness and knowledge of naval and maritime intelligence, to preserve and extend the culture and heritage of the naval intelligence profession, and to recognize and reward the achievement of excellence on the part of naval intelligence professionals.
Under its original charter, the NIF was to foster awards recognizing excellence in naval intelligence training in VADM Taylor’s honor and memory, at both NMITC and at the Fleet Intelligence Training Center Pacific (FITCPAC). However, NIF goals, objectives, and purpose evolved toward recognizing excellence in performance whether academic or operational. It was later decided to expand the awards program to include awards for naval intelligence personnel in the fleet, at the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), and for naval reservists and civilians supporting naval intelligence.
In 2002, the Foundation partnered with the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) to sponsor an annual Naval Intelligence Essay Contest to recognize the best essay on any subject pertaining to maritime intelligence or intelligence support to naval forces. The US Naval Institute (USNI) has since taken over the role of co-sponsoring the Essay Contest with NIP.
Vice Admiral Rufus L. Taylor Award for Excellence in Intelligence Instruction recognizes Intelligence instructors who embody the time-honored principles which Vice Admiral Taylor exemplified throughout his career: desire for professional knowledge, intellectual curiosity, initiative, enthusiasm, ability to command respect and motivate others, devotion to duty, effective communication skills, and personal and intellectual integrity. Active and Reserve Component U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps service members serving as instructors, faculty, or staff at Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Virginia Beach and IWTC San Diego are eligible. Two candidates will be selected; one each from IWTC Virginia Beach and IWTC San Diego.
Vice Admiral Rufus L. Taylor Award for Leadership recognizes leadership from deserving Active or Reserve Component officer, enlisted, or civilian personnel who exemplify excellence and exceptional dedication to duty within the Naval Intelligence Community. Active Naval Intelligence Officers (183X) in grades O-4 through O-6, Intelligence Chief Warrant Officers (CWO) (783X) in grades CWO-3 through CWO-5, Intelligence Specialists in grades E-7 through E-9, and civilians GS-13 through GS-15 (or equivalent) are eligible. The Reserve Component applications, process, and timeline will be in accordance with reference (b). One candidate will be selected for this award, either Active Component or civilian. The results of the Reserve selection will be announced with the results of the reserve solicitation.