Sensors researcher receives DOD honor Published Sept. 10, 2008 RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- Air Force officials here announced in a Sept. 3 message that the Air Force nominee assigned to the Air Force Research Laboratory is the winner of the 53rd annual Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award. Edmund Zelnio from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, was selected for the highest honor given by the secretary of Defense to a career civilian. The award reflects exceptional devotion to duty and extremely significant contributions of broad scope to the efficiency, economy, or other improvements in the operation of DOD. A member of AFRL's Sensors Directorate, Mr. Zelnio was cited for his hard work over a 32-year career that contributed to the successful deployment of new sensor and sensor exploitation technologies in numerous Air Force and DOD weapon systems for air-to-air, air-to-ground, and space-to-ground sensing scenarios. Additionally, Mr. Zelnio's contributions to synthetic aperture radar sensor technology and synthetic aperture radar sensor exploitation technology enabled DOD to find and prosecute targets previously impervious to attack due to weather and foliage concealment strategies. This award will be presented by the secretary of Defense in a ceremony at the Pentagon tentatively scheduled for Oct. 15. Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) View the comments/letters page