TEC awards Bronze de Fleury Medal to Biggars

24 Jul 2006 -- Alexandria, Va. -- Patrick Biggar, a staff officer with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) received the Army Engineer Association's (AEA) Bronze de Fleury Medal in a ceremony July 19 at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's (ERDC) Topographic Engineering Center (TEC). Military Executive to the Director, NGA, Brig. Gen. Michael Planert, attended.

Biggars was cited for his exemplary work in establishing an essential cooperative between NGA and TEC on Geo-referenced Portable Document Format (GeoPDF) technology. Biggars was instrumental in assisting in TEC's implementation of GeoPDF data operationally in the Army. His efforts significantly improved GeoPDF for optimum Army use and allowed more units to use geospatial maps, quicker and easier than ever before which ensured the widest dissemination of geospatial data in the Army, going far beyond NGA's traditional data support.

In 1777, a French Engineer volunteered to serve with the American Army in its fight for independence from Britain. Francois Louis Tesseidre de Fleury was born in St. Hippolyte, France in 1749; was trained as an engineer; and served in the French Army during the Corsican Campaign. The Continental Congress appointed de Fleury a captain of engineers. He quickly proved himself. Wounded at the battles of Fort Mifflin and Brandywine (where his horse was shot out from under him), he soon became Lt. Col. de Fleury. But it was in the desperate battle at Stony Point, N.Y. in 1779, that de Fleury's courage, under fire, won him the accolades of Congress. For his intrepid behavior, the Continental Congress awarded a medal struck in his honor.

As the Corps of Engineers implemented the U.S. Army Regimental System, the senior engineer leadership sought a method for the Corps to honor those individuals who have provided significant contributions to Army Engineering. The Army Regimental System was developed to emphasize the history, customs and traditions of the Corps; so Maj. Gen. Daniel R. Schroeder, then-Commanding General of Fort Leonard Wood and Engineer School Commandant, wanted an award that would tie in with the beginnings of the nation and the Army Corps of Engineers.

The Engineer Regiment adopted the de Fleury Medal as an award because of the values demonstrated by the man for whom it was struck, values of special meaning to Engineer Soldiers. It is understood that the de Fleury Medal was the first Congressional Medal struck, if not the first medal authorized. Presentation of the de Fleury Medal, to those individuals meeting established criteria began in 1989. Soldiers and Civilians, active and retired, from enlisted Soldiers to generals to the Chief of Staff of the French Army proudly wear the de Fleury Medal. The de Fleury award program is administered by the AEA for the Corps. The medal dies are controlled by the U.S. Mint which is responsible for striking the medals.