[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 98 (Thursday, July 18, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S7029]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO DR. DONALD L. DURHAM

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I wish to take this opportunity to recognize 
and say farewell to an outstanding leader, Dr. Donald L. Durham, upon 
his retirement from the Senior Executive Service as Deputy Director of 
the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command at the John C. Stennis 
Space Center. Throughout his career, Dr. Durham has served with 
distinction. It is my privilege to recognize his many accomplishments 
and to commend him for the superb service he has provided the Navy, the 
great State of Mississippi, and our Nation.
  Dr. Durham received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics and 
Mathematics from Centre College, Danville, KY in 1964; a Master of 
Science Degree in Oceanography, Math, from Texas A&M University in 
1967; and a PhD in Physical Oceanography, Geophysics and Math, from 
Texas A&M University in 1972.
  Following his doctoral thesis, Dr. Durham joined the Army Corps of 
Engineers as a research oceanographer at its Waterways Experiment 
Station in Vicksburg, MS. In 1978, he joined the staff of the Naval 
Oceanographic and Atmospheric Research Laboratory, NOARL, at the John 
C. Stennis Space Center, MS as an oceanographer responsible for 
analyzing and assessing numerous Navy oceanographic research programs 
and special projects, including several environmental acoustic/
oceanographic studies and tactical fleet exercises. From 1981-1986 at 
NOARL, Dr. Durham was Head of the Mapping, Charting and Geodesy, MC&G, 
Division, which was responsible for project management and technical 
performance of the integrated Navy Research Development, Test and 
Evaluation, RDT&E, program in MC&G.
  In 1986, Dr. Durham joined the staff of the Naval Meteorology and 
Oceanography Command, Stennis Space Center, MS and served as Assistant 
Chief of Staff for Program Integration until his selection as 
Technical/Deputy Director on January 1, 1989. As Technical/Deputy 
Director, Dr. Durham was the senior civilian manager and top scientific 
advisor responsible for the planning, coordination, management, 
direction and administration of broad, multi-disciplinary scientific, 
engineering and technical programs of the command. Under his guidance, 
the command has made tremendous inroads in the fields of basic and 
applied Oceanography through the application of supercomputing 
technology, providing detailed environmental analysis that our naval 
forces could have only dreamed about a few years ago. His persistence 
towards achieving excellence in his field of expertise is highly 
commendable.
  Dr. Durham's many awards include the Distinguished Executive 
Presidential Rank Award, Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Award, 
DoD Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Award, Secretary 
of Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award, Department of the Navy 
Meritorious Civilian Service Award, three Army Corps of Engineers' 
Special Act/Service Awards, Presidential Letter of Commendation, two 
Navy Commendations for Special Achievement, Marine Technology Society 
Special Commendation Award, Defense Mapping Agency Research and 
Development Award, Kiwanis International Distinguished Service Award, 
Center College Distinguished Alumnus Award, Danville High School 
Distinguished Alumnus Award, Mississippi Academy of Sciences Research 
Award, Who's Who in the South and Southwest, International Who's Who of 
Professionals and the International Who's Who of Intellectuals. In 
addition, he has published over 50 professional papers, technical 
reports and presentations and served twice as guest editor for Marine 
Technology Society Journals. His professional affiliations include the 
Marine Technology Society, The Oceanography Society, The Society of 
Research Administrators, The Hydrographic Society of America, 
International Oceanographic Foundation, Mississippi Academy of Sciences 
and Sigma Xi. Also, he has served as Vice Chair and Chair of the 
Mississippi Science and Technology Commission; Member of Mississippi 
State University's External Research Advisory Council and Mississippi 
Economic Development Special Task Force; and board member of 
Mississippi Enterprise for Technology, Inc. and Mississippi Technology 
Alliance.
  Throughout his very distinguished career, Dr. Durham has served our 
great Nation with pride and excellence. He has been an integral element 
of, and contributed greatly to, the best-trained, best-equipped, and 
best-prepared naval force in the history of the world. Dr. Durham's 
superb leadership, integrity, and limitless energy have had a profound 
impact on our Nation's Oceanography community and he will be greatly 
missed in the Navy's Senior Executive Service. Dr. Durham retires as an 
SES-5 on August 3, 2002. On behalf of my colleagues on both sides of 
the aisle, I wish Dr. Durham all the success in his future and thank 
him immensely for the invaluable 30-years of service he has provided to 
the United States of America.

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