The Thomas Jefferson Awards Program recognizes military and civilian employee print and broadcast journalists for outstanding achievements in furthering the objectives of the Department of Defense internal information program.

It operates under the aegis of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, public affairs, and is administered by the director, American Forces Information Service. 

The program is named after Thomas Jefferson, the nation's third president, author of the Declaration of Independence, legislator, diplomat and an outstanding man of letters, whose personal library formed the basis for what became the Library of Congress, and who appreciated the importance of news and free information to the proper functioning of government and society.

It was with this in mind that the Department of Defense chose Jefferson as the symbol for its awards for excellence in journalism.  Established in 1968, the Thomas Jefferson Awards recognize military and DOD civilian broadcast and print journalists for their achievements.  The contest is held annually at the Defense Information School, Fort George G. Meade, Md.

Having coordinated the contest judging since 1979, DINFOS ensures that the best internal information efforts receive recognition for professional excellence and outstanding achievements.  The contest is designed to promote fuller understanding of the U.S. armed forces' mission and to inform our military members about their American heritage and the vital roles they play in the defense of the nation.  Service broadcast and print journalists inform military, family members and civilian employees worldwide about significant events, giving people a better understanding and fuller appreciation of their responsibilities to the nation.

Thomas Jefferson Awards are given in several print and broadcastcategories.  To win, entries must make an important contribution to the internal information objectives of the armed forces and must meet the highest standards of production, execution and professional excellence. 

Prior to the yearly Thomas Jefferson Awards contest, each service judges its own entries and selects the best entry in each category to represent that service in the final inter-service competition.  Additionally, each service may nominate six judges (three broadcast, three print media) to DINFOS for the Thomas Jefferson Awards.  DINFOS makes the final selection of judges in coordination with the American Forces Information Service.  Judges are professionals from the civilian broadcast and print journalism fields.

Print journalism judges have included newspaper and magazine editors, authors of journalism textbooks, university and college professors of journalism and professionals in mass communication and public relations fields.

In judging the finalists in the print journalism categories, judges carefully read and review articles, photographs, designs, artwork and the overall quality of the finalists' work.

Broadcast journalism judges view finalists' work in each category for creativity, full use of available equipment and the ability to convey command information to the audience.