Work Honors Exceptional DoD Employees at Pentagon Ceremony

Eight exceptional Defense Department civilian employees were today awarded the department’s Distinguished Civilian Service and David O. Cooke Excellence in Public Administration awards by Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work.

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“We honor eight outstanding DoD employees who made an impact on the work we do, but also on the lives of those who serve in harm’s way,” the deputy secretary said at the 61st-annual DoD Distinguished Civilian Service Awards ceremony at the Pentagon.

Distinguished Civilian Service Award

The Distinguished Civilian Service Award is the highest recognition DoD can award an employee, and it is presented to a small number of civilian employees whose careers reflect exceptional devotion to duty and significant contributions of broad scope in policy, scientific, technical or administrative fields that increase effectiveness and efficiency, officials said.

David O. Cooke Excellence in Public Administration Award

For non-managerial career civilian employees with three to 10 years of civilian federal career service, the David O. Cooke Award recognizes future federal executive potential that exemplifies the namesake’s talents. Cooke’s 55 years of federal service included about 44 years with DoD, where he is recognized as a public official who championed a cooperative spirit and improved operations, officials said.

The Awardees

Work awarded the coveted Cooke award to Lindsay Chaney of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

The deputy secretary then awarded the DoD Distinguished Civilian Service award to seven employees:

-- Michael Erk, Office for Unmanned Aviation;

-- Maria Fried, Office of the General Counsel;

-- Elaine McCusker, U.S. Central Command;

-- Scott Roenicke, Joint Staff;

-- Stephen Sherman, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics;

-- Dr. Mary Ann Spott, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research; and

-- David Wiltse, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy.

Grateful Leaders

Work told the awardees that Defense Secretary Ash Carter said that he and all of DoD’s military and civilian leaders are “’extremely grateful everything you have done, your dedication, professionalism, the hard work and the innovative ideas that make this world a safer and more secure place for all of our citizens.’”

The deputy secretary pointed out that the eight awardees represent nearly 3 million people who defend the United States.

“These awards are testimony to the central mission of DoD, which is to protect our great nation and forms the foundation upon which we build our national security,” Work said.

(Follow Terri Moon Cronk on Twitter: @MoonCronkDoD)

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