The Army Veterinary Corps recently recognized five outstanding officers and noncommissioned officers with annual awards.
Lt. Col. Kindall L. Jones was awarded the Daniel Holland Leadership Award for distinguished leadership abilities. She commanded the 994th Medical Detachment in Afghanistan, where 25 Soldiers provided comprehensive veterinary services for more than 45,000 service members at 120 forward operating bases. She managed more than 3,000 food safety and sanitation site assistance visits and commercial audits in eight countries.
Jones also provided leadership to support the Afghanistan First Initiative, a project to promote legitimate agriculture instead of poppy cultivation for the drug trade.
Capt. Katie Barry was named the corps' Exceptional Junior Officer of the Year. As Zama branch chief of the Japan District Veterinary Command, she actively engaged the Japanese community to improve international relations. She was selected to conduct three major Pacific Command deployments-U.S. Navy Philippines CARAT 2007, Balikatan 2008 and Cobra Gold 2008.
The Exceptional Warrant Officer of the Year is Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kerry R. Harris of the Japan District Veterinary Command. He served as the 43rd Medical Detachment's food safety officer and operations and training officer. While deployed to Iraq he helped save $3 million in operational rations, and he consulted on construction of a facility to purify water from the Euphrates River for safe consumption. Harris also served as the only veterinary representative for the United Nations multinational force exercise Shanti Doot 2 in Bangladesh.
The first Col. Cliff L. Walker Leadership Awards were presented to Sgt. Alicia Swails, NCOIC of the veterinary treatment facility at Fort Carson, Colo., and Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Gilbert, NCOIC of the veterinary branch at Fort Sill, Okla.
Swails oversees the care of 70 military working dogs, 12 mounted color guard horses and more then 10,000 privately-owned animals. Gilbert supervises 12 Soldiers, including one who was Warrior Leadership Course Distinguished Honor Graduate, and provided continuity for the unit during transition of commissioned officers.
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