Twelve individuals were presented awards for outstanding service to the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command May 7. In a ceremony held at USAMRMC Headquarters, Fort Detrick, Md., Maj. Gen. James K. Gilman, USAMRMC commanding general, offered kind words, certificates, and medals to the honorees. Assisting in the ceremony were Capt. J. Christopher Daniel, USAMRMC deputy commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin B. Stuart, USAMRMC command sergeant major.

Receiving the Order of Military Medical Merit Award were Col. James Sheets, director of the Animal Care and Use Review Office, Office of Research Protections, and Master Sgt. Joseph Menkiti, assistant inspector general/non-commissioned officer-in-charge, USAMRMC Office of the Inspector General. To obtain membership within the Order, individuals must clearly demonstrate the highest standards of integrity and moral character, display an outstanding degree of professional competence while serving selflessly in the U.S. Army, and provide outstanding service, commitment, and unparalleled contributions to the U.S. Army Medical Department in times of war and peace.

The Meritorious Service Medal was presented to Capt. Aaron Northrup, outgoing commander of the USAMRMC Headquarters Company, and Capt. Sumesh Sagar, who will assume command of the company from Northrup in a ceremony on May 11. During his acceptance speech, Sagar highly praised the administrative staff within headquarters, calling them the "true backbone of the MRMC."

Dr. Laura Brosch, Dr. Adrianne Noe, and Dawn Rosarius each received the Superior Civilian Service Award for their various accomplishments during their years of service to the USAMRMC. Providing a short introduction for each, Daniel commended the trio for their tireless efforts in support of the USAMRMC. As the director of the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Silver Spring, Md., Noe has been working diligently along with her staff in preparation for the museum's upcoming 150th anniversary celebration on May 21.

The Commander's Award for Civilian Service was given to Jerome Maultsby, associate director of the Office of Small Business Programs, and the Achievement Medal for Civilian Service was presented to John Uscilowicz, deputy program manager of the Joint Trauma Analysis and Prevention of Injury in Combat program. Both were heralded for their tremendous work in expanding the reach of the command into various new areas.

Dr. Dale Vander Hamm was presented the Command Sergeant Major's Hustle Award for his exemplary work over the past decade as a senior scientist. Deborah McLeod-Baumbach, secretary for the Office of the Deputy Commander, received both the Achievement Award for Civil Service and a Length of Service Award for her 15 years of employment within the USAMRMC.

To the astonishment of many in attendance, Ellen Santaliz was honored with a Length of Service Award for her 40 years of continuous service to the U.S. military. Having worked as a research program coordinator since 1991, Santaliz's past assignments have included locations such as Fort Richardson, Alaska, and Puerto Rico, where she worked for the Department of Defense Dependents Schools system.