Teamwork. Dedication. Preparation. Persistence. Inspiration.
Those are the attributes that make any team successful. For James D. "Dan" Parker, deputy director of the Security Assistance Management Directorate, those attributes apply to the team of SAMD employees and organizations working to ensure a thriving foreign military sales program for the Aviation and Missile Command and its lead organization, the Army Materiel Command.
And, when the team is successful, so is its leadership.
Parker recently was awarded the Louis Dellamonica Award for Outstanding AMC Personnel of the Year for 2008. The award was presented by Gen. Ann Dunwoody at AMC headquarters May 1.
"I was extremely lucky, fortunate and blessed," Parker said. "At first, it was a little bit intimidating because it's such a big honor. It's a big honor to represent this command. I was the only one from AMCOM nominated for the award."
Parker was nominated for the award by SAMD director Dr. Tom Pieplow. Parker's 28 years of service at Redstone Arsenal has included positions in contracting, contract negotiations, acquisition planning and management in AMCOM's Acquisition Center. He has also served as assistant director for contracts and director of international affairs for the deputy of System Acquisition. At SAMD, he served as chief of the aviation systems division before taking his current position.
As SAMD deputy director, Parker assists in managing the transfer and sustainment of 25 AMCOM aviation and missile systems to more than 70 foreign nations and organizations. SAMD employs about 275 government specialists and contractors that oversee annual foreign military sales totaling several billion dollars.
Parker's responsibilities have included working closely with the governments of several countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Egypt, Luxembourg, Republic of Georgia and most European countries.
"We provide a service to our U.S. Soldiers by assisting with the sale of helicopters and missile systems to our allies. By making our allies stronger, we make our Soldiers' missions more successful," he said. "To do our job, we have to understand the requirements of our customers and work with AMCOM organizations to meet those requirements. We truly work under a team concept."
SAMD works closely with employees of the Security Assistance Command, the AMCOM Acquisition Center, and program executive offices for Aviation and Missiles and Space.
"This is not a one-man recognition. It's a true team recognition," Parker said. "We lock arms with the organizations we work with to get the job done. Our team at Redstone Arsenal, including the support we get from Maj. Gen. Jim Myles and his deputy Ronnie Chronister, is the best in the world. And I've been all over the world, so I know what I'm talking about."
When Parker is not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Leslie, an elementary school teacher, and their three children, 12-year-old Sutton, and grown children Matt, who is a certified public accountant, and Angie, a school teacher. Parker is a native of Guntersville, where he was a standout quarterback on the high school football team and went on to play football at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. He is a member of the Marshall County Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and he served on both the city council and the school board in Guntersville for several years before moving to Madison.
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