Since 1962, the annual Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards have recognized service members and civilians across DOD who make strides to conserve our nation’s natural and cultural resources; protect human health; prevent or eliminate pollution at the source; clean up hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants and munitions on DOD sites; and incorporate environmental requirements into weapon system acquisition. These activities safeguard military personnel and civilians, protect the environment, and support effective personal and institutional performance to enable the military mission.
Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen M. Lord announced the 2020 awards winners April 22 to coincide with the nation’s observance of Earth Day. A diverse panel of 54 judges from federal and state agencies, academia and the private sector evaluated nominations from the DOD components to help determine the nine winners from 30 nominees. This year, there are four Navy winners, three Army winners, and one winner each from the Marine Corps and Air Force.
The 2020 winners showcased extraordinary environmental achievements:
Fort Custer Training Center, Michigan Army National Guard, winner of the Natural Resources Conservation, Small Installation Award, partnered with researchers to determine the best fire application techniques to control invasive species, promote native species growth and support wildlife, thus helping to fill the data gap between prescribed fire management and validated species outcomes.
Vieques Environmental Restoration Team, Puerto Rico, winner of the Environmental Restoration, Individual/Team Award, acted immediately after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in September 2017 to inspect over 50 beaches and all roads where munitions might have become exposed during the storm. Staff also distributed emergency supplies, established satellite telecommunications, helped the community remove debris, disseminated munitions safety information, and repaired mission-critical roads, fences, safety signs and infrastructure.
Click to read about the 2020 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards.