Head of the Signature Technology Office at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Mr. Joseph Edward Peak received the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award, Jan. 25, for sustained performance, outstanding technical leadership, management, and research and development achievements that increased Navy, Marine Corps, Army, and Special Operations operational capabilities and survivability over the past 15 years.
During this period Peak served in multiple positions of great trust and responsibility, providing outstanding services and achievements, demonstrating unsurpassed professional knowledge and resourcefulness with unmatched work ethic in the performance of his duties.
Directly supporting the maintenance of our national security, Peak significantly contributed to many projects in support of the Global War on Terrorism. His efforts increased military survivability and helped save the lives of our warfighters. Peak’s distinctive accomplishments are a clear reflection and a credit to him for his unfailing dedication to NRL, the Department of the Navy, the United States Special Operations Command and the Department of Defense.
Peak has been a pioneer creating, fostering and leading technology innovation that has radically accelerated the advancement of Low Observable/Counter Low Observable (LO/CLO) technology and materials with measurable returns on investment for our military.
His long list of accomplishments and achievements have included major advances in the state-of-the-art of signature control technologies, and managing and transitioning these new capabilities to the field resulting in significant improvements to the overall readiness and effectiveness in operational capabilities.
Peak has published 11 papers in refereed journals, eight NRL formal and memorandum reports, and given 11 presentations at professional society meetings as well as two papers published by North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). He has approximately 20 published works at the classified level. Peak has also received many awards and honors. He received the Alan Berman Research Publication Award both in 2011 and 2015, and the Department of Defense David Packard Award For Excellence and Acquisition in 2011. He has been awarded the NRL Outstanding ratings and Contribution Awards for the past 21 years (1995 through 2016) with a contribution award each year, and the NRL Navy Unit Commendation Award in 1996.
The Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award Medal is a decoration presented by the United States Secretary of the Navy to recognize civilian employees who have provided exceptional services that have made a significant and positive impact on a specific activity or geographic location. It is the third highest honorary award that the U.S. Navy can bestow upon a civilian employee, after the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award and the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award.