Dr. Robert Douglas is honored by the Army Science Board with the Dr. Joseph V. Braddock Award

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, October 30, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On September 10th, 2024, Dr. Robert Edwin Douglas was awarded the "Joseph V. Braddock Award" for his decades of service to the Army Science Board. The Joseph V. Braddock Award states:

"Dr. Robert Douglas's leadership, expertise, experience, and wisdom with eighteen years of service to the Army Science Board as a Member and Consultant has aided the Army in addressing its most intractable scientific and technological challenges. His work has informed and enabled the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Army, and the entire defense community to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Dr. Douglas's dedicated serviced reflects great credit on himself, the Army Science Board, the Department of the Army and the Department of Defense. Includes periods of service from 1995 - 2020."

Dr. Douglas was the sixth recipient of this award.

The Ceremony:

Lieutenant General (retired) Michael E. Williamson, Chairman of the Army Science Board (ASB) presented the award. Shown in the photo is LTG (ret.) Williamson at the Lockheed Martin facility in Crystal City where the ceremony was held. LTG (ret.) Williamson currently serves as President, Lockheed Martin International & Senior Vice President of Global Business Development and Strategy. Before joining Lockheed Martin, LTG (ret.) served as the Principal Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology and Director of Acquisition Career Management.

Dr. Douglas's speech to the assembled crowd:
"The ASB has been an important part of my life. I am deeply honored and humbled by this award. I remember well Joe Braddock and his leadership and wisdom that he brought to the Board. He played a key role in mentoring me and giving me sage advice throughout various studies I worked on. The Army Science Board has been one of the major highlights in my life. Let me briefly explain:

First, the study process has been one of enlightenment. I learned a lot during data collection at the Army, Navy and Air Force Labs, DARPA, National Labs such as Sandia, and the Intel community. Of course, I also learned from interactions with industry partners, and academia. It was a real educational experience hearing all of these unique and diverse perspectives.

Second, working with some of best minds in the country and true experts in their respective fields. One has the opportunity to share their unique perspective on a myriad of topics and gain insight into key aspects of their fields and through interactions in both formal and informal sessions form true friendships.

Third, helping the Army cope with complex problems. Staff officers, in many cases, are overwhelmed by their workload and don’t have the time to grapple with complex problems. They get to the Pentagon early and stay late. They give their jobs literally all they can. Bottom line: The Army staff simply does not have time, resources or wide array of contacts to delve into complex problems and provide complete and accurate answers to these problems. The ASB fills this very important gap.

Forth, the ASB has impact. I will give an example, In the 2002 study, which I led, the Army Vice Chief of Staff, GEN Keane came to CA at the mid-point of the summer session to see how the study was progressing. The Army Chief of Staff, GEN Shinseki came to the summer brief out. After the summer session GEN Keane called a large staff meeting, went over all the recommendations, assigned responsibilities with due dates about implementation. Later that fall, I received a letter from the Commanding General of the newly established organization Program Executive Officer – Soldiers saying the ASB study was responsible for establishing his office. That, ASB members, is impact!

Aristotle provided probably the first definition of success: 'one who was successful is one who made it a priority to serve something larger than one’s self’. Clearly, by Aristotle’s definition every ASB member is not only a standout in their respective fields, but also successful serving something larger than their own self.

Finally, I want to thank the ASB staff for and especially Heather for her dedication to the ASB over the years."

The Army Science Board presentated flowers to Dr. Robert Douglas's wife, Dr. Kathleen Douglas who supported her husband every step of the way in his service to the Army Science Board. Dr. Kathleen Douglas is a retired professor of Counseling at Barry University and former Counselor Educator of the year in Florida and member of Who's Who of America and the World, and author of “The Therapeutic Superhighway” (1992) a visionary look into, what is now known as artificial intelligence, improving the healing profession.

After the Ceremony:

After the Ceremony, Dr. Robert Douglas was joined by two former Dr. Joseph V. Braddock Awardees: General David Maddox and Dr. James Tegnalia.

GEN (ret.) Maddox is a retired Army four-star general who served as the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Army Europe/Commander, Central Army Command (CINCUSAREUR/COMCENTAG) and Commander, 7th U.S. Army. GEN Maddox also served on the Defense Science Board and the Board on Army Science and Technology.

Dr. James Tegnelia served 65 years of dedicated service to the US Army including twice as Chair of the Army Science Board. Dr. Tegnalia served as the former Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), and Director, Sandia National Laboratories.

Another winner of the Dr. Joseph Braddock Award was LTG (ret.) Woodmansee.

Dr. Douglas's career highlights:

Dr. Robert Douglas is a West Point graduate who: fought as an Infantryman in Vietnam for two tours, one with the 5th ARVN Division as advisor to the Recon Company and one with the Americal Division as company commander and battalion operations officer. He was awarded 3 Vietnam Crosses of Gallantry and 3 Bronz Stars for his service in Vietnam. He subsequently worked in a combat development agency running the computer center; studied aspects of nuclear war while serving in the Joint Chiefs of Staff; patrolled in the Sinai Desert for the UN along with Russian war planners of the 1973 war; and developed a mobile communications system to assist Air Force space exercises while working for the Under Secretary of the Air Force. He was awarded multiple Meritorious Service Medals and the Légion of Merit. After leaving the service, he spent over three decades in the defense industry rising from manager to vice president working programs ranging from sensors and missiles for Air Force aircraft; to sensors and munitions for Army helicopters, combat vehicles and Soldiers, to border security; and, served on the Army Science Board for 18 years. Outside of DoD, Dr. Douglas is a prolific inventor of 80+ USPTO patents; is a volunteer at the prison ministries with Kairos group and co-founder of Rad Impact, which supplies ultrasound equipment and training to 14 clinics in Kenya and Uganda to improve prenatal care.

Dr. Robert Douglas, CEO
OPIC Technologies, Inc.
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