Article by: Sharon Hardy and Jennifer Laudone (shardy@gray-research.com; jlaudone@ist.ucf.edu)
The SISO Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Mr. Dell Lunceford at the 2004 Spring SISO SIW
After 30 years of being involved with the M&S community as a Federal Government employee, Mr. Dell Lunceford retires. On August 20, 2004 Mr. Lunceford celebrated his retirement with family, friends, peers, staff, and co-workers at a Retirement Social held in his honor.
Mr. Lunceford's retirement social included a farewell luncheon and multiple appreciation service awards. August 20th was a very busy day for Dell. That morning Gen Cody at the VCSA update presented Dell with the Meritorious Civilian Service Award. Then later at the official farewell luncheon, Dell recieved additional awards.
Many presentations and words of appreciation for Dell's contributions to the M&S Community were shared during the farewell social as well as some songs presented by Terry Gonda.
Mr. Hollis Presented Dell with a Retirement Certificate/Pin & Certificate of Appreciation.
Col George Stone presented Dell with the Jefferson Cup, a picture of the Pentagon, a Collage, a Ecosphere, and Chocolate.
Additional Speakers/Gift Presentations made were: Mr. Joe Owen (Alion Science & Technology);Mr. Michael Bauman, TRAC ; Dr. William Murphy, BCSE, ASAALT; Mr. Dan Gardner; Ms Cathy Matthews, NAV Air;and Ms Leah Treppel, PEO Stri.
(Prior to the Retirement Social) Warren Katz, SISO Executive Committee Chairman, presented Mr. Lunceford with the very first SISO Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2004 Spring SISO SIW
Who is Mr. Dell Lunceford?
Mr. Lunceford is a graduate of Florida Technological University (later renamed University of Central Florida), the Defense Systems Management College, and also attended the Technical Education Center in St. Petersburg, FL. During Dell's employment with the Federal Government, he has been responsible for M&S programs in all phases of development/fielding including concept formulation, source selection, execution oversight, acceptance testing and installation/fielding. Many of his assignments have been in program management, systems engineering and R&D development for some of the Department of Defense's largest simulation based programs including: Lead Engineer/Project Manager for the Seawolf Submarine Combat System shore based and on-board training systems, Chief Engineer for the Army’s Combined Arms Tactical Trainer, Technical Director for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Synthetic Theater of War 97 Demonstration, DARPA Program Manager for Advanced Simulation Technology and the Technical Advisor for AMSO. Mr. Lunceford's last position before retirement will be the Director of The Army's Battle Command, Simulation and Experimentation Directorate - formerly known as the Army Model and Simulation Office (AMSO). Mr. Lunceford received many awards during his career. Some of his career awards received include: the Superior Civilian Service Medal, the Office of the Secretary of Defense Award for Excellence (two times) and the Program Executive Officer SCWS Medallion for Excellence. Mr. Lunceford's has also contributed greatly within volunteer organizations including the SISO Vice Chairman position and Editor position on the SISO Simulation Technology online Magazine.
"Farewell Wishes For Dell"
Mr. Lunceford's accomplishments in the Army and Dept of Defense have been extraordinary and monumental. He has never been reluctant to take on the difficult issues and figure out how to solve them. Mr. Dell Lunceford is one of the leaders in the simulation community. His efforts and time have produced new initiatives, institutional growth and merges with all of the domains of the simulation community. The VCSA GEN Cody attributes the merging of M&S with Battle Command to Mr. Lunceford. Other initiatives and areas include the FA57 Simulation Operations officer field, SMART, Grand Challenges in Simulation, Systems Engineering, FCS M&S and Collaboration tools, Command Post of the Future and more. His motivation has been to best serve sailors and soldiers in his 30 year career. All of us in the Army Model and Simulation Office have experienced Mr. Lunceford's great friendship, care, insights and loyalty. We wish you the very best in your second career!!
The Army's Battle Command, Simulation and Experimentation Directorate, Army G-3/5/7.
George F. Stone III
COL, GS
Deputy Director- Battle Command, Simulation, & Experimentation Directorate
DAMO-SB, Army G-37
"From all the folks from Battle Command, Simulation and Experimentation, we wish Mr. Lunceford the very best in all his travels and future endeavors."
Battle Command, Simulation and Experimentation
My well wish to Dell: Dell Lunceford has inspired many newcomers to the modeling and simulation industry to learn and explore new concepts. His encouragement and support has enabled us to contribute to the modeling and simulation community. May you thrive and enjoy your future endeavors!
cheers,
Beth Biddle
SISO Simulation Technology - M&S Quiz Author
"Mr. Lunceford, the place will never be the same without you. The door will always be open and we will always have some chocolate and pretzels around if you decide to visit. It was great working for you.
Melanie Sampson (Executive Officer, BCSE)"
Dell - enjoy your many adventures ahead. I have enjoyed working with you on the SISO Simulation Technology Online Magazine. Thank you for your encouragement and guidance that has allowed the STM to be what it is today.
Sharon Hardy, SISO STM Co-Editor
Dell Lunceford has served the Modeling and Simulation community-of-practice on one form or another as long as I can remember. In every case, Dell brought to the challenge a few rare qualities that made his contributions productive in their own time and influential thereafter. First, there’s that vision thing. Dell appreciated as well as anyone that modeling and simulation is fundamentally defined by is core competencies and not by the accident of its uses or its referent domains. He saw that M&S was so valuable precisely because it was at once such a cohesive and universally applicable discipline. Secondly, Dell understood and acted upon the premise that M&S is an enabling technology. He saw that the value of M&S was delivered through other activities such as systems engineering and training to the final customer, and he carefully addressed the leveraging of M&S investment so that its position in the value chain offered a clear-channel between the M&S technologist and the end user. Dell also appreciated how to operate and influence within existing enterprise environments in order to provide the best opportunity to affect the practice of M&S in ways that were both effective and persistent. Next, Dell’s personal and professional integrity were evident to all who worked with him on a regular basis – they knew he could be trusted to tell the truth as he saw it and not to be intimidated by spurious appeals to expediency. Finally, his self-confident receptiveness to new ideas and his willingness and ability to take those ideas and to act upon them with gracious acknowledgement of their sources was gratifying. After all this may not need be too sorry at his leaving. On the one hand we who appreciated Dell’s contributions might be disappointed at his retirement on grounds that his constructive presence and influence will be missed. On the other hand, we can rest assured that he made his contributions to our world in forms that were of such value and were so well institutionalized that their influence will persist long into the future. My only real anxiety at Dell’s retirement is that we’re talking about the poor boy as though he were dead! I mean after all, there he is, taking contemplative walks in the mists of Machu Picchu, long deserted home of the Inca, whose ineffable beauty is not, as they say, to be sneezed at, after which we may imagine his retiring to the veranda of his luxury hotel, glass in hand, enjoying the company of … Well that’s enough for now.
Bill Waite and the crew at AEgis Technologies
On behalf of Dan Gardner and the entire OSD Readiness and Training Office we wish Mr. Lunceford the very best. He and his engaging talents will be greatly missed by the M&S training community and others.
Dan Gardner and the OSD Readiness and Training Office
While I haven't had the pleasure of working directly for Dell, I have been able to work with him over the years in advancing the M&S agenda. His depth of knowledge and vision are extraordinary as well as his willingness and desire to apply both in advancing the state-of-practice for modeling and simulation in the best interest of the DoD, Army and the community as a whole. I've learned a lot through my interactions with him as well as watching him do what he does best. Dell is an outstanding person and a true professional and I look forward to working with him for many years to come."
- Mike Lightner, The AEgis Technologies Group.
COL George Stone presents Dell with the Jefferson Cup, Pentagon Picture, Collage, Ecosphere, and Chocolate During the Retirement Social in DC
Warren Katz, SISO Executive Committee Chairman, presents Dell with the very first SISO Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2004 SISO Spring SIW
General Richard A. Cody, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, presenting to Mr. Lunceford the Meritorious Civilian Service Award.
Mr. Walter W. Hollis, DUSA(OR) presenting Retirement Certificate/Pin & Certificate of Appreciation to Dell at Retirement Social in DC
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