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It is my honor and privilege to welcome you to the 13th annual U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association

Distinguished Graduate Awards Ceremony. Unfortunately, I am unable to personally welcome our 2011 DistinguishedGraduate Award recipients into the elite group of alumni who have served the Naval Academy and the nation with distinction.

I would like to congratulate each of this year’s award recipients. Today you become part of a proud tradition of honoring alumni who exemplify the values and missions of the Naval Academy. Today you join the ranks of men andwomen who have selflessly contributed to our alma mater and the nation. You serve as an inspiration to your shipmates and to the Brigade of Midshipmen who have gathered with you today to recognize your accomplishments.

While there are many people involved in making theDistinguished Graduate Award Medal Ceremony a signatureevent at the Naval Academy, my sincere gratitude is extended to the Selection Committee. This group tackles the enviable and arduous task of selecting distinguished graduates amongfierce competition and many deserving alumni. I am proud to chair the committee, and continue to be impressed with the level of dedication from its members.

“Today you join the ranks of men and women who have

selflessly contributed to our alma mater and the nation.

You serve as an inspiration to your shipmates and to the

Brigade of Midshipmen who have gathered with you

today to recognize your accomplishments.”

CHAIRMAN WELCOME

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The 2009 Distinguished Graduate

Award Medal Ceremony.

Please enjoy today’s ceremony, celebrating the life andaccomplishments of these remarkable alumni. Congratulationsagain and thank you for all you’ve done—and continue to do—for the Naval Academy, the Navy and Marine Corps and our country.

Admiral Ed Giambastiani ’70, USN (Ret.)Chairman, U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Award Selection Committee

2011 U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Award Selection Committee

Colonel Arthur Athens ’78, USMCR (Ret.)

Captain Maureen Cragin ’85, USNR (Ret.)

Mr. Byron Marchant ’78

Rear Admiral John B. Padgett ’69, USN (Ret.)

Admiral Joseph Prueher ’64, USN (Ret.)

Vice Admiral John Scott Redd ’66, USN (Ret.)

Mr. Roger Staubach ’65

Major General Leo Williams ’70, USMCR (Ret.)

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Midshipmen gather in Alumni Hall

prior to the 12th U.S. Naval Academy

Alumni Association Distinguished

Graduate Award Medal Ceremony.

2011 DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE AWARD

The 2011 Distinguished Graduate Award Medal Ceremonymarks the 13th year of honoring and celebrating the lives

of alumni through the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni AssociationDistinguished Graduate Award program.

Each year, distinguished graduates are honored because of theirdemonstrated and unselfish commitment to a lifetime of service,their personal character and the significant contributions theyhave made to the Navy and Marine Corps or as leaders inindustry or government. They are the living embodiment of theAcademy’s mission to develop leaders to “assume the highestresponsibilities of command, citizenship and government.”We honor these four individuals for the principles they standfor—today and always.

2011 Distinguished Graduate Award Recipients:

Rear Admiral Robert Shumaker ’56, USN (Ret.)Dr. Bradford Parkinson ’57

Lieutenant General Matthew Cooper ’58, USMC (Ret.)Mr. Corbin McNeill, Jr. ’62

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In his last official event as

Commandant of Midshipmen, Captain

Matt Klunder ’82, USN, introduces the

2010 Distinguished Graduate Award

recipients at a panel discussion in

Mitscher auditorium the Saturday

following the 2010 ceremony.

25 MARCH 2011 PROGRAM

MEDAL PRESENTATION4:30 p.m.

INTRODUCTION OFDISTINGUISHED GRADUATES FOR 2011

INVOCATIONCaptain Michael Parisi, USN

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

WELCOME AND REMARKSVice Admiral Michael H. Miller ’74, USN

Superintendent, U.S. Naval Academy

PRESENTATION OFDISTINGUISHED GRADUATE AWARD MEDALS

Admiral Steve Abbot ’66, USN (Ret.)Chairman of the Board, U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association

and Midshipman Sean Fitzmaurice ’11Brigade Commander

REMARKSDistinguished Graduate Recipients of 2011

NAVY BLUE & GOLD

DEPARTURE OF THE OFFICIAL PARTY

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Born in 1933 in New Castle, PA, RearAdmiral Robert Shumaker ’56, USN

(Ret.), grew up attending local publicschools and spent a year at NorthwesternUniversity before entering the NavalAcademy. Following graduation, he completed flight training and flew the F-8Crusader with fighter squadron VF-32.Around this time, Shumaker was consideredfor astronaut training by NASA, butunfortunately his selection was blockeddue to a short-term physical ailment.

In February 1965, while serving withVF-154 in Vietnam, his plane was shotdown on a mission over North Vietnam.For the next eight years, Shumaker was a Prisoner of War (POW) in Hanoi,Vietnam. During his imprisonment, hewas respected by hundreds of his fellowPOWs, including Vice Admiral JamesStockdale ’47, USN (Ret.), who continuallyselected him for special assignments inthe camp and was recognized as aDistinguished Graduate in 2001. Due tohis resistance efforts, he and the rest ofthe POW leaders, known as the “AlcatrazEleven,” spent three of those years in solitary confinement and in leg irons,where he endured inhumane treatmentand torture at the hands of his NorthVietnamese captors. Following his releasein 1973, he was awarded the NavyDistinguished Service Medal with

Combat “V” and two Silver Stars for hisbrave leadership as a POW. His othermilitary decorations include four Legionsof Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross,a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.

After earning his doctorate in electrical engineering, Shumaker was amajor project manager for precision-guided munitions, at Naval Air SystemsCommand for six years, where he helpeddevelop the High Speed Anti-RadiationMissile (HARM), Hellfire and the MAVERICK air to ground weapon.After promotion to flag officer, he wasthe superintendent of the NavalPostgraduate School, followed by a tourat the Pentagon where he coordinatedthe research efforts for the Navy’s air, surface, electronics and space activities.

After retiring from the Navy as arear admiral in 1989, he served as assistantdean at George Washington Universityand later was associate dean at theUniversity of North Dakota’s Center forAerospace Studies. A long-time supporterof the Naval Academy Brigade ofMidshipmen via the Naval AcademyFoundation, Shumaker is a President’sCircle donor and a lifetime member ofthe Naval Academy Alumni Association.

Shumaker and his wife of 47 years,Lorraine, live in Fairfax Station, VA, andhave one son, Grant.

“The main role of this Academy is to develop graduates

who will lead our nation to greater prosperity, security

and happiness. I would hope that this Distinguished

Graduate Award recognition inspires them to succeed

in their future endeavors.”

REAR ADMIRAL ROBERT SHUMAKER ’56, USN (RET.)

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Growing up in Minnesota, Dr. BradfordParkinson ’57 was very active in the

Boy Scouts, achieving the rank of EagleScout. He entered the Naval Academy withthe Class of 1957, and upon graduating he accepted a commission as a secondlieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. In 1961 he earned a master of science inaeronautics and astronautics at MIT, followed by a doctorate in aeronauticsand astronautics at Stanford in 1966. In1972, he became a distinguished graduateof the U.S. Naval War College.

Throughout two decades of servicein the Air Force, Parkinson held a varietyof positions, including U.S. Air Force TestPilot School academic instructor andchief of the simulation division; was onthe team of developers for the modernAC-130 Gunship and later was one ofthe first to deploy with the new aircraft.His military decorations include theBronze Star, Legion of Merit,Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medalsand a Presidential Unit Citation.

In his final assignment in the AirForce, Parkinson directed the effort todevelop the Global Positioning System(GPS), a worldwide satellite-based navigation system. He not only designedthe system but also led the fight to gainDepartment of Defense approval. Hisprogram went above and beyond proving

the accuracy and capabilities of GPS andfor this Parkinson was awarded the DefenseDepartment Superior Performance Awardas the best program director in the AirForce. Parkinson continues his pioneeringwork with GPS, which is now implementedby more than one billion users.

Upon retiring from the Air Force asa colonel in 1978, Parkinson held severalpositions in academia at Colorado StateUniversity and Stanford University, aswell as multiple president and CEO positions in the private sector, includingPlantStar and Trimble Navigation.

An appointed member of thePresidential Commission on Air Safetyand Security by President Bill Clinton,he is a fellow of multiple societies andinstitutions and his work has also earnedhim numerous awards and commendations,including the Draper Prize of the NAE,sometimes called the Engineer’s Nobel.The Naval Academy midshipmen-builtsatellite, ParkinsonSat, is named in hishonor. He is also a member of the NavalAcademy Foundation’s Robert MeansThompson Society and the Superintendent’sSociety, as well as a lifetime member ofthe Naval Academy Alumni Association.

He and his wife, Virginia, live in SanLuis Obispo, CA. Nearby in Californiaare their six children: Leslie, Bradford II,Eric, Ian, Bruce and Jared.

“I feel very fortunate that the foundation for my run

through life was the Naval Academy. Most important, it

established a set of personal values. Receiving this award

makes me all the more aware of the great debt I owe to

the Naval Academy, my classmates and to the Navy, so

I want to thank them all.”

DR. BRADFORD PARKINSON ’57

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Born and raised in Lexington, NC,Lieutenant General Matthew T.

Cooper ’58, USMC (Ret.), attended theUniversity of North Carolina prior toentering the Naval Academy. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.

During his 35-year career in theMarine Corps, Cooper served more than20 years in command billets whichincluded command of two MarineDivisions and a Marine Corps Base. Healso served as Deputy Commander ofU.S. Forces, Japan. He served two combattours in Vietnam and commanded theMarine Corps Ground Reserve duringOperation Desert Shield/Storm.Cooper’s final years on active duty werespent as Deputy Chief of Staff forManpower and Reserve Affairs atHeadquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.

Cooper, a lifetime member of theNaval Academy Alumni Association,served as a national trustee of the U.S.Naval Academy Alumni AssociationBoard of Trustees, Vice Chairman of theBoard of Directors of the Naval MutualAid Association and a director of MarineToys for Tots Foundation. Following hisretirement from the Marine Corps, Cooperserved for 15 years as the president andCEO of Marine Toys for Tots Foundation,a non-profit charity dedicated to bringingthe joy of Christmas to underprivileged

children throughout America. Under hisleadership, this once struggling organizationwas transformed into one of the nation’spremier charities with annual revenue ofmore than $200 million.

In addition to the DistinguishedGraduate Award, Cooper’s other decorationsinclude the Defense DistinguishedService Medal, the Distinguished ServiceMedal, the Legion of Merit, the BronzeStar Medal with Combat “V” and onestar, the Meritorious Service Medal, theJoint Service Commendation Medal withoak leaf cluster, the Navy CommendationMedal, the Combat Action Ribbon, thePresidential Unit Citation, the Navy UnitCommendation and the MeritoriousUnit Commendation along with a numberof campaign medals and foreign decorations.Cooper is also the recipient of the NavyDistinguished Public Service Award and the Boy Scouts of America“Distinguished Eagle Scout” award.

Cooper is an honor graduate of theMarine Corps Basic School, an honorgraduate of the Marine Corps Command& Staff College and a distinguished graduateof the U.S. Naval War College. He earneda masters degree from George WashingtonUniversity and completed a SeniorExecutive Program at Harvard University.

Cooper and his wife, Bettie, have beenmarried nearly 50 years and are the proudparents of Hudson, David and Caroline.

“My hope is that midshipmen will recognize the

Distinguished Graduate Award for its true goal of

inspiring Naval Academy graduates to give something

back to the Academy, the Naval Service and our nation.”

LIEUTENANT GENERAL MATTHEW COOPER ’58, USMC (RET.)

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Born in Santa Fe, NM, the oldest often children, and raised principally in

the mid-west, Mr. Corbin McNeill, Jr. ’62attended the Naval Academy Prep School prior to his four years at theNaval Academy. Following graduation, he served for 20 years as a submariner in the Navy. He retired as a commanderin 1981 after having served as commandingofficer of TAUTOG and commanding officer of the Naval Nuclear Power School.

In 1981, McNeill launched his civilian career with the New York PowerAuthority, as the resident manager of the James A. Fitzpatrick Nuclear PowerPlant, and later served in senior executivepositions at the Power Authority andPublic Service Electric & Gas Co.

McNeill joined PECO Energy in1988, where he progressed to ultimatelybecome chairman and CEO. While serving as CEO, PECO Energy was recognized as “Utility of the Year” by the Edison Electric Institute. During this time frame, McNeill also led PECOin a merger with Unicom Corporation,forming Exelon Corporation, of whichhe was chairman and co-CEO untilretirement.

Along with his Bachelor of Sciencedegree from the Naval Academy, McNeillcompleted graduate courses at both theUniversity of California (Berkeley) and

Syracuse University and is a graduate of Stanford University’s executive management program. He was alsoawarded an honorary doctorate of science from Drexel University. He hasreceived awards from the World NuclearAssociation, the American Society ofMechanical Engineering, the AmericanNuclear Society and the Nuclear Energy Institute.

A lifetime member of the NavalAcademy Alumni Association, for 12years McNeill served as the vice chairman on the Alumni Association’sBoard of Trustees and currently serves onthe Naval Academy Foundation’s Boardof Directors. He has also served as atrustee of Drexel University and theValley Forge Military Academy and wasformerly chairman of Leadership Inc. ofPhiladelphia. McNeill is currently amember of the board of directors ofAssociated Electric and Gas InsuranceServices Limited, Ontario PowerGeneration, Silver Spring Networks, O-I Corporation and Portland GeneralElectric where he is chairman.

McNeill and his wife, Dorice, whowere married shortly after graduation,live in Jackson, WY. They are the proudparents of five children: Michele, Corbin,Kevin, Alicia and Timothy and have beenblessed with eleven grandchildren.

“The Distinguished Graduate Award is a very treasured

recognition. I consider it to be the ultimate professional

career recognition,” said McNeill. “Its purpose is to

acknowledge long-term service to our nation, to the Navy

and to public service. It means a great deal at this stage

of my life to be so recognized. I am profoundly honored.”

MR. CORBIN McNEILL, JR. ’62

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Admiral Thomas H. Moorer ’33, USN (Ret.)(1912-2004)

1999

2000Dr. John J. McMullen ’40(1918-2005)

Admiral James L. Holloway III ’43, USN (Ret.)

Vice Admiral William P. Lawrence ’51, USN (Ret.)(1930-2005)

Major General William A. Anders ’55, USAFR (Ret.)

Mr. Roger T. Staubach ’65

2001Captain John W. Crawford, Jr. ’42, USN (Ret.)

Admiral William J. Crowe, Jr. ’47, USN (Ret.)(1925-2007)

Vice Admiral James B. Stockdale ’47, USN (Ret.)(1923-2005)

Admiral James D. Watkins ’49, USN (Ret.)

Captain James A. Lovell ’52, USN (Ret.)

2002Vice Admiral Charles S. Minter, Jr. ’37, USN (Ret.)(1915-2008)

The Honorable James E. Carter, Jr. ’47

Admiral Carlisle A.H. Trost ’53, USN (Ret.)

Colonel John W. Ripley ’62, USMC (Ret.)(1939-2008)

2003Ambassador William H.G. FitzGerald ’31(1909-2006)

Rear Admiral Eugene B. Fluckey ’35, USN (Ret.)(1913-2007)

Rear Admiral Robert W. McNitt ’38, USN (Ret.)

Vice Admiral William D. Houser ’42, USN (Ret.)

2004Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak ’34, USMC (Ret.)(1913-2008)

Vice Admiral Gerald E. Miller ’42, USN (Ret.)

Vice Admiral James F. Calvert ’43, USN (Ret.)(1920-2009)

Lieutenant General Charles G. Cooper ’50, USMC (Ret.)(1927-2009)

Rear Admiral Ronald F. Marryott ’57, USN (Ret.)(1934-2005)

Each Distinguished Graduate receives

a medal to commemorate the award.

DGA PAST RECIPIENTS 1999-2010

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2005Captain Slade D. Cutter ’35, USN (Ret.)(1911-2005)

Rear Admiral Robert H. Wertheim ’46, USN (Ret.)

Admiral Ronald J. Hays ’50, USN (Ret.)

Mr. H. Ross Perot ’53

2006Captain Thomas J. Hudner ’47, USN (Ret.)

Admiral Kinnaird R. McKee ’51, USN (Ret.)

General Robert T. Herres ’54, USAF (Ret.)(1932-2008)

Admiral Charles R. Larson ’58, USN (Ret.)

2007Rear Admiral Maurice H. Rindskopf ’38, USN (Ret.)

Admiral Thomas B. Hayward ’48, USN (Ret.)

Mr. Ralph W. Hooper ’51

Admiral Leighton W. Smith, Jr. ’62, USN (Ret.)

2008Mr. James W. Kinnear III ’50

Admiral Frank B. Kelso II ’56, USN (Ret.)

Rear Admiral Benjamin F. Montoya ’58, CEC, USN (Ret.)

Lieutenant General William M. Keys ’60, USMC (Ret.)

Admiral Henry G. Chiles, Jr. ’60, USN (Ret.)

2009Mr. John E. Nolan ’50

Admiral Bruce DeMars ’57, USN (Ret.)

Mr. J. Ronald Terwilliger ’63

Admiral Joseph W. Prueher ’64, USN (Ret.)

General Peter Pace ’67, USMC (Ret.)

2010Mr. David J. Dunn ’55

Admiral Leon A. Edney ’57, USN (Ret.)

Rear Admiral Thomas C. Lynch ’64, USN (Ret.)

Admiral Joseph Paul Reason ’65, USN (Ret.)

General Carlton W. Fulford, Jr. ’66, USMC (Ret.)

A midshipmen presents a past

Distinguished Graduate with

his medal.

For more information on the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association’s Distinguished Graduate Award program and recipients, visit www.usna.com/dga.

Now colleges from sea to sea, may sing of colors true,

But who has better right than we, to hoist a symbol hue?

For Sailors brave in battle fair, since fighting days of old

Have proved the Sailor’s right to wear, the Navy Blue and Gold.

NAVY BLUE & GOLD

To serve and support the United States, the Naval Service, the Naval Academy

and its Alumni; By furthering the highest standards at the Naval Academy;

By seeking out, informing, encouraging and assisting outstanding,

qualified young men and women to pursue careers as officers in the

Navy and Marine Corps through the Naval Academy; and, By initiating

and sponsoring activities which will perpetuate the history, traditions,

memories and growth of the Naval Academy and bind Alumni together in

support of the highest ideals of command, citizenship and government.

Serving the Alma Mater and its Alumni since 1886

USNA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MISSION