CHEMICAL MATERIALS AGENCY
November 22, 2004
For More Information Contact:
Jeff Lindblad, CMA Public Affairs
(410) 436-4555
Donald H. Rumsfeld Honors U.S. Army
CMA Director
Michael
Parker Receives Distinguished Civilian Service Award
EDGEWOOD, Md. _ Secretary of
Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld recognized Mr. Michael A. Parker, Director of
the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency, for his “leadership and dedication”
in bringing about positive restructuring to our nation’s chemical weapons
storage and disposal program at a Nov. 19 Pentagon ceremony where he presented
Parker with the Distinguished Civilian Service Award.
With his direction, Parker brought together elements
of two Army organizations – the U.S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical
Command (SBCCOM) and the Program Manager for Chemical Demilitarization (PMCD)
– to create one organization, the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency (CMA).
Prior to this restructuring, SBCCOM had the responsibility of safely storing
and monitoring our nation’s aging chemical weapons stockpile and PMCD’s task
was to safely destroy the stockpile.
Secretary Rumsfeld recognized Parker “for his leadership
and dedication to the transformation of the nation's chemical weapons demilitarization
program. His development of alternative technologies to accelerate
destruction of the chemical stockpile will eliminate the potential threat
to thousands of our citizens. His forthright and honest efforts have
earned him the admiration and trust of even the most skeptical communities.
Mr. Parker has calmed fears of the public and generated confidence in the
Department of Defense, and, in so doing, has contributed immeasurably to
national security and the public's full faith and trust in the federal government's
commitment to protecting our homeland.”
The award is the highest honor given by the Secretary
of Defense to civilian personnel of the Department. It is presented
annually to a small number of Defense Department civilian employees whose
service reflects exceptional devotion to duty and extremely significant contributions
of broad scope to the efficiency, economy or other improvement in the operation
of the Defense Department. The prestigious award recognizes career
employees at all levels for their exceptional achievement(s) and honors performance
characterized by extraordinary, notable or prestigious contributions that
impact the Department as a whole, and have significant impact to national
security.
In his position as Director of CMA, Parker is responsible
for the acquisition of plant construction, systemization and operational
functions of chemical munitions storage and destruction. He assumed this
role in August 2003 following the restructuring.
A native of St. Louis, Parker earned a Bachelor of
Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Missouri School of Mines
and Metallurgy. He also attended the University of Michigan and the Johns
Hopkins Schools of Engineering. Among his awards and decorations are
Army’s highest civilian honorary award, the Decoration for Exceptional Civilian
Service, the Army Research and Development Achievement Award, the Army Meritorious
Civilian Service Award and the Presidential Rank Award. He was also
honored this year with the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Achievement Award.
CMA is responsible for protecting and safely storing
the nation’s aging chemical weapons, while working toward the effective recovery,
treatment and ultimate elimination of the nation’s chemical warfare materiel
and enhancing national security. Thus far, the Army has safely destroyed
more than 41% of the original munitions and 10,210 tons of chemical agent.
All of the chemical weapons on Johnston Island in the Pacific were the first
to be destroyed. Currently, chemical agent is being destroyed in Tooele,
Utah, Anniston, Ala., Aberdeen, Md., and Umatilla, Ore. Operations to destroy
chemical agent are anticipated to begin within the next year in Pine Bluff,
Ark., and Newport, Ind.
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The U.S. Army Chemical Materials
Agency is responsible for safely storing and eliminating the United States’
aging chemical weapons and agent stockpiles and for the safe elimination of
recovered chemical materiel.
