Army Awards environmental stewardship; Army news service

Defense AT&L, July-August, 2008

Army programs making strides in endangered species protection, historic preservation, waste reduction, environmental cleanup, and pollution prevention earned top-level leadership recognition as the secretary of the Army announced Feb. 14 the winners of the Army's highest honor for environmental stewardship.

Five installations, three teams, and one individual will receive a 2007 Secretary of the Army Environmental Award for their achievements. This year's winning accomplishments include: restoring and maintaining the habitat of over one thousand animal and plant species; conserving water and controlling erosion to reduce the harmful effect eroded sediment has on endangered species; conducting extensive community outreach to share the history of archeological sites located on Army property; and using technology to clean and re-use soil for military construction projects.

Tad Davis, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for environment, safety, and occupational health is confident that the hard work the Army dedicates to sustainability and environmental stewardship will reap benefits for generations to come. "These Army environmental awardees are examples of how the Army is transforming its business and environmental practices to bridge today's requirements with tomorrow's needs. The awardees have improved installation efficiency and effectiveness, and therefore have helped assure operational capability for our soldiers and an improved quality of life for their families and surrounding communities."

The winners of the fiscal year 2007 Secretary of the Army Environmental Awards are:

* Camp San Luis Obispo, California Army National Guard--a Natural Resources Conservation, Small Installation

* Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot, Connecticut Army National Guard--Pollution Prevention, Industrial Installation

* U.S. Army Garrison Daegu, Korea--Environmental Quality, Team

* Fort Hood, Texas--Environmental Quality, Non-Industrial Installation

* Fort Ruger, Hawaii Army National Guard--Environmental Restoration, Installation

* James G. Arnold, Oregon Army National Guard--Environmental Restoration, Individual

* Pennsylvania Army National Guard--Natural Resources Conservation, Team

* Redstone Arsenal, Ala.--Cultural Resources Management, Installation

* The M115A2 and M116A1 Simulator Perchlorate Replacement Team, Project Manager Close Combat Systems (PM CSS), U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM)--Excellence in Weapon System Acquisition, Team

The Secretary of the Army Environmental Awards represent the highest honor in the field of environmental science conferred by the Army. For more information, contact Robert DiMichele, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Army Environmental Command, 410-436-2556. For details about the fiscal year 2007 Secretary of the Army Environmental Awards recipients, visit the U.S. Army Environmental Command's Web site at <http://aec.army.mil/>.