ARMY ANNOUNCES TOP ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

The following news release can be viewed online at:
http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=5689
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ARMY ANNOUNCES TOP ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS

February 20, 2004

Preserving the environment while protecting the nation's freedom is a
difficult balancing act, but this year's Secretary of the Army
Environmental Award winners prove the effort creates successful
environmental stewardship.

The Army's commitment to its environmental mission has allowed its men
and women to save the endangered shortnose sturgeon population in
Georgia; restore a World War II defense outpost in Alaska; maintain a
pristine Hawaiian ecosystem; and ensure the nation's premier combat
vehicle ? the Stryker ? is environmentally friendly. These are just a
few of the accomplishments credited to the five installations, two teams
and two individuals recently confirmed as fiscal year 2003 Secretary of
the Army Environmental Award winners.

This annual award is the Army's highest honor for outstanding
environmental stewardship programs, which are on the forefront of Army
efforts focused on endangered species protection, historic preservation,
waste reduction, environmental restoration, pollution prevention and
environmental excellence in weapons system acquisition. Award winners
stand out as leading examples of how the Army invests in environmental
stewardship on the 16.7 million acres of land it manages while it trains
and prepares America's Soldiers to fight the global war on terrorism.

Each year, Army environmental professionals from around the world
compete for recognition in the categories of natural resources
conservation, cultural resources management, environmental quality,
pollution prevention and environmental restoration. Environmental
excellence in weapons system acquisition Army award winners will receive
their awards at regional ceremonies across the nation in the spring.
They will subsequently go on to compete for Secretary of Defense
Environmental Awards. This year's winners include:

Natural Resources Conservation, Installation ? Newport Chemical
Activity, Indiana

Natural Resources Conservation, Individual/Team ? Thomas Bryce, Fort
Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia

Cultural Resources Management, Installation ? U.S. Army Garrison, Alaska

Environmental Quality, Installation ? Kansas Army National Guard, Kansas

Environmental Quality, Individual/Team ? Lt. Col. Ronald Swafford,
Hawaii Army National Guard, Hawaii

Pollution Prevention, Installation ? Anniston Army Depot, Alabama

Environmental Restoration, Installation ? Anniston Army Depot, Alabama

Environmental Restoration, Individual/Team ? Annette Island Project
Delivery Team, Alaska District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska

Environmental Excellence in Weapon System Acquisition ? Project
Management Office, Brigade Combat Team, Michigan

Both military and non-military experts participate in judging panels for
each award category. This year, award judges included representatives
from the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service; the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; The Nature
Conservatory; the U.S. Coast Guard; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers;
the U.S. Army Environmental Center; U.S. Army Office of the Director of
Environmental Programs; the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and
Preventative Medicine; and the U.S. Army Assistant Secretary for
Acquisition, Logistics and Technology's Environmental Support Office.

The Army invests in environmental programs to move beyond mere
compliance with regulations and to sustain realistic training and
testing capabilities in the most responsible ways possible.
Environmental stewardship plays a crucial role in the Army's readiness
mission, and these investments have resulted in the conservation and
maintenance of some of the nation's most pristine and biologically
diverse ecosystems, valued cultural sites and critical military training
grounds.

For details on the fiscal year 2003 Secretary of the Army Environmental
Awards recipients visit the U.S. Army Environmental Center's Web site at
http://aec.army.mil/.

"Preserving the Environment while Protecting Our Freedom"

For more information, contact Robert DiMichele at (410) 436-2556.

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