BRUNSWICK — Presented annually — except this year — by the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber of Commerce’s Military Community Council, the Joshua Chamberlain Award has officially recognized a local individual “ whose activities have served to build upon the close relationship and the understanding existing between the military and civilian components of the community.”

The official closure of Brunswick Naval Air Station in May forced the council to make changes in the award process. Typically, each year’s winner received the award in September at the annual Navy Ball. Adapting to the absence of the Navy air base altered that schedule.

Since the award was first bestowed 33 years ago, winners have included former commanding officers of Brunswick Naval Air Station — most recently Capt. William Fitzgerald in 2010 — as well as other officers and a few civilians such as former Brunswick Town Manager Donald Gerrish.

“About 95 percent of them are Navy,” SMMC executive director Steve Wallace said Thursday.

But that’s about to change to better reflect the new makeup of the military presence in the Mid-coast region.

Beginning in 2012, the award “will reflect that change in the military environment here, and, quite honestly, it’s not going to be as Navy-centric,” Wallace said.

Since Brunswick Naval Air Station closed in May, Wallace said, “The Marines are on the base already and we’re looking at the Army National Guard coming down here. Plus we have an Army recruiting battalion. And the Navy presence is obviously less significant than it was.”

So the award will now reflect the community’s relationship with all branches of the military, and Wallace said the committee will make more of an effort to include veterans service organizations such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The award is named for Civil War hero and Medal of Honor recipient Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a member of the Bowdoin College class of 1852, former president of the college and a four-term governor of Maine.

Wallace said that since Chamberlain served in the Army, it’s fitting that the award better reflect all branches of the military.

“When you think about Joshua Chamberlain, he was a statesman, an educator and an Army officer,” Wallace said. “It’s ironic that the vast majority of people who got the award so far have been (in the) Navy. That’s also why we’re looking to expand (the scope), because of the many facets of leadership Joshua Chamberlain had.”

The selection criteria will remain the same, but the award may not be presented at the annual Navy Ball, as has been the case in many previous years. In the case of a civilian winner, Wallace said, it could be presented at an employee party.

This year’s committee members include co- chairman Gil Buthlay; Capt. Robert Crowe, of SUPSHIP Bath; and previous Chamberlain Award-winners, “to keep the integrity of the award in place,” Wallace said.

Wallace said he expects the 2011 award winner to be selected next week.

bbrogan@timesrecord.com