Gulf Region Division

News release #090809-1 
August 9, 2009

GRD resident engineer recognized by Engineer Regiment 

Mosul, Iraq – Patrick Addison, Mosul Area Office resident engineer for the Gulf Region Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq, received the prestigious Bronze de Fleury medal during a recent ceremony at the Camp Marez compound.

Addison, a member of the Gulf Region District, was commended for “exceptional meritorious service to the Engineering Regiment for his 26 years of service as a government civilian with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,” according to the award citation. “His dedication to duty and remarkable leadership skills throughout each of his myriad assignments have earned him a reputation of excellence and are worthy of the highest recognition by the Engineer Regiment.”

As the Mosul Area Office resident engineer, Addition supervises engineers working on a variety of GRD reconstruction projects in partnership with the government of Iraq. The Mosul Area Office covers Iraq’s northern Ninawa, Irbil and Dahuk provinces, stretching from the Turkish border in the north to the Syrian border to the west. Projects include schools, hospitals, medical clinics, border crossing facilities, Iraqi military bases, police stations and provincial courthouses.

Addison hails from USACE’s Omaha District, where he began working for the Corps after graduating from the University of Nebraska with a degree in civil engineering. Addison will finish his third tour in Iraq in September.

Commenting on the award, Addison said, “I am extremely grateful to the Gulf Region District and the USACE commander who have bestowed on me this very prestigious award. When an award like this is given, it is very much indicative of the great people around me.  I was certainly in the right place at the right time and accept this incredible award on behalf of the entire Gulf Region District team that to a person, is accomplishing great things in Iraq.”

Addison has a son who’ll be a freshman at the University of Nebraska and a daughter starting medical school this fall.
The de Fleury awards program is administered by the Army Engineer Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the history and traditions of the Corps of Engineers of the United States. The award is named after Capt. Francois Louis Tesseidre de Fleury, a French Army engineer who served with the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and was one of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence. Capt. de Fleury was credited with capturing Stony Point, a strategic base on the Hudson River. For his actions, the Continental Congress awarded de Fleury a medal struck in his honor. The Engineering Regiment later adopted the de Fleury Medal because of its special significance to Army engineers.

The Gulf Region Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq has completed thousands of reconstruction projects in partnership with the U.S. government and the government of Iraq. Since 2004, GRD has completed 4,626 projects throughout Iraq valued at more than $7.2 billion, and has 287 projects ongoing.

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For high resolution photos: www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/index.asp

The Gulf Region Division, headquartered in Baghdad, is a joint effort comprised Civilians, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Contractors. GRD provides quality and sustainable engineering in support of civil/military construction in Iraq. GRD and its Iraqi partners are building a strong foundation for Iraq's future. 
BUILDING STRONGSM is the official slogan of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.