Veterinarian wins top DOD civilian award
Dr. Salvatore Cirone of Annapolis, Md., received the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award Nov. 4, 2011, at the Pentagon along with seven other individuals.
The most prestigious civilian honor and medal given by the DOD, this award recognizes employees whose public service reflects exceptional devotion to duty and important contributions to the efficiency, economy, and improvement in the operation of the department.
Dr. Cirone was recognized for developing methods to guide DOD investments in biomedical research grants and for aiding in advancements that contributed to the health and safety of service members.
His leadership aided in the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the use of existing medical drugs for alternative applications that supported force health protection in combat scenarios.
"Military members and civilians step up every day to do the heavy lifting and pull more than their share—I was just fortunate enough to be associated with them," Dr. Cirone said.
"I'm so grateful for the opportunity to serve our nation and our military. That's the best honor of all."
Dr. Cirone earned his DVM degree in 1966 from the University of Illinois and his Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California-Davis in 1976. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine.
He has a strong military background, including more than 29 years of active duty in the Army Veterinary Corps, where he reached the rank of colonel before retirement in 1996. Since July of that year, Dr. Cirone has served in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and has been appointed to numerous scientific boards and panels for the DOD in the areas of biomedical research, food safety, and agricultural biosecurity.
Dr. Cirone has been the District of Columbia VMA's delegate to the AVMA House of Delegates since 2006, served on the House Advisory Committee from 2006-2008, and was DCVMA alternate delegate to the AVMA from 2001-2005. Prior to that, he served five years on the AVMA Council on Public Health and Regulatory Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Cirone is a member of the National Association of Federal Veterinarians, American Association of Food Hygiene Veterinarians, District of Columbia Academy of Veterinary Medicine, and Association of Anne Arundel County Veterinarians.