SAME Bricks & Clicks

SAME to Honor Golden Eagle Award Winners

The SAME Academy of Fellows will honor Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp, P.E., F.SAME, USA (Ret.), 52nd U.S. Army Chief of Engineers, with the Golden Eagle Award for Significant Contributions to the Engineering Profession, and Adm. Vernon E. Clark, USN (Ret.), 27th Chief of Naval Operations, with the Golden Eagle Award for Significant Contributions to National Security, at the 2016 Golden Eagle Awards Dinner, March 10, 2016 at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, Alexandria, Va.

The Academy of Fellows Golden Eagle Awards Dinner, first held in 1996, annually recognizes two national leaders—an SAME Fellow for significant contributions to the engineering profession; and a prominent national leader for significant contributions to national security.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO ENGINEERING

Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp, P.E., F.SAME, USA (Ret.), is being presented with the Golden Eagle Award for significant contributions to the engineering profession. Currently Chief of Infrastructure & Economic Development for The Flippen Group, he retired from the U.S. Army in 2011 after 39 years of service, culminating as the 52nd U.S. Army Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

In this position, General “Van” oversaw a $40 billion program including most of the nation’s Civil Works infrastructure and military construction on over 150 Army and Air Force installations. He was responsible for 37,000 employees who provided engineering, project management, construction, and operation and maintenance support in nearly 100 countries around the world. Before becoming Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of USACE in 2007, Gen. Van Antwerp served as Commanding General, U.S. Army Accessions Command and Deputy Commanding General for Initial Military Training at Fort Monroe, Va. Previous to that he served as Commanding General, U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center and Commandant, U.S. Army Engineer School, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; Commander, USACE Los Angeles District, with service during the 1994 Northridge Earthquake; and Commander of the 326th Engineer Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO NATIONAL SECURITY

Adm. Vernon E. Clark, USN (Ret.), is being presented with the Golden Eagle Award for significant contributions to national security. Presently an Executive with CVC Associates, a private management consulting company based in Arizona, he retired from the U.S. Navy in 2005 after a 37-year career in which he ascended from Officer Candidate School in 1968 to the second-longest tenured Chief of Naval Operations in history, a position he held for five years beginning in July 2000.

During his tenure as Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Clark’s top priority was to “win the battle for people,” which led to the development of a 21st century human capital strategy and revolution of the training, development and assignment processes within the Navy. The result was the best recruiting and retention in history. He forged an effort to make the Navy more competitive and to posture the service for the challenges of the post 9/11 world. Before being named Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Clark served as Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet; and Director of Plans and Policy and Financial Management and Analysis, U.S. Transportation Command. He also directed the Joint Staff’s Crisis Action Team during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Adm. Clark held command assignments during more than 50 percent of his Navy career, including three ships, two destroyer squadrons, the Atlantic Fleet’s Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center, a Carrier Battle Group, the Second Fleet, NATO’s Striking Fleet, and the Atlantic Fleet. His career also is marked by notable joint service experience, including seven of 10 years during the 1990s in joint and combined positions, culminating as Director of the Joint Staff in Washington D.C.

PAST AWARD RECIPIENTS

The Academy of Fellows Golden Eagle Awards were first presented in 1996. Over the last 20 years, many prominent Americans have been honored with the award.

For Contributions to the A/E/C Profession