2005 Colonel Donald G. Cook Award and Colonel James L. Jones Award

1. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE NOMINEES FOR THE 2005
"COLONEL DONALD G. COOK, USMC, AWARD" AND THE "COLONEL JAMES L.
JONES, USMCR, AWARD." THESE AWARDS FROM THE NATIONAL MILITARY
INTELLIGENCE ASSOCIATION (NMIA) RECOGNIZE PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE
AND EXCEPTIONAL DEDICATION TO DUTY FOR AN ACTIVE DUTY/GOVERNMENT
CIVILIAN AND RESERVE MARINE CORPS INTELLIGENCE PROFESSIONAL
RESPECTIVELY. SELECTING A SINGLE WINNER FOR EACH AWARD FROM AMONG
THE MANY OUTSTANDING AND DESERVING CANDIDATES WAS EXCEPTIONALLY
CHALLENGING. 
2. I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT CAPTAIN NATHAN S. KRICK, USMC, HAS
BEEN SELECTED AS THIS YEARS RECIPIENT FOR THE COL DONALD G. COOK
AWARD. DEPLOYED TO IRAQ WITH THE 2ND INTELLIGENCE BATTALION, I
MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE DURING AUGUST 2004 TO MARCH 2005, CAPTAIN
KRICK DISPLAYED REMARKABLE LEADERSHIP AND ANALYTICAL EXPERTISE AS HE
LED THE TACTICAL FUSION CENTER THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION, TRAINING, AND
SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYMENT. SERVING AS A SENIOR ANALYST IN SUPPORT OF I
MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE AND 1ST MARINE DIVISION OPERATIONS,
CAPTAIN KRICK LEAD AN EFFORT THAT PRODUCED ANALYTICAL INTELLIGENCE
PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM CAPTURED INSURGENTS, DOCUMENTS, ELECTRONIC
MEDIA, AND OTHER MATERIEL. THESE EFFORTS ALSO ASSISTED THE
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY'S UNDERSTANDING OF AN EXTREMELY
COMPLEX INSURGENCY SITUATION. CAPTAIN KRICK'S ANALYTICAL EFFORTS
IDENTIFIED KEY TARGETING OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH PAID DIRECT DIVIDENDS
IN THE RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF ENEMY FORCES AND FACILITATED THE
SYSTEMATIC INTERDICTION OF ENEMY OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES, FUNDING,
AND MANPOWER. THIS INTELLIGENCE PROFESSIONAL EPITOMIZES THE VALUES
AND COMMITMENT IN THE FINEST TRADITIONS OF MARINE CORPS INTELLIGENCE
AS EMBODIED IN THE COLONEL DONALD G. COOK AWARD.
3. I AM EQUALLY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT GUNNERY SERGEANT HARUN G.
BEGIS, USMCR, HAS BEEN SELECTED AS THIS YEARS RECIPIENT OF THE COL
JAMES L. JONES AWARD. DEPLOYED TO IRAQ WITH THE HUMAN EXPLOITATION
TEAM-10 OF THE 2ND INTELLIGENCE BATTALION, I MARINE EXPEDITIONARY
FORCE FROM AUGUST 2004 TO MARCH 2005, GUNNERY SERGEANT BEGIS WAS A
KEY FACTOR IN THE APPREHENSION AND REMOVAL OF TOP LEVEL INSURGENCY
LEADERSHIP AND THE SEIZURE OF WEAPONS CACHES. WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS
A PREMIER DEBRIEFER, THE ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE HE PROVIDED TO
OPERATIONAL COMMANDERS DIRECTLY RESULTED IN THE NEUTRALIZATION OF
INSURGENT FORCES. GUNNERY SERGEANT BEGIS ALSO DEMONSTRATED
EXCEPTIONAL BRAVERY AND COMPOSURE WHILE UNDER FIRE IN DIRECT SUPPORT
TO COMBAT OPERATIONS AND WAS AWARDED A COMBAT ACTION RIBBON. 
THROUGHOUT THE RANGE OF OPERATIONS IN IRAQ, THE INTELLIGENCE
GATHERING AND ANALYSIS GUNNERY SERGEANT BEGIS PROVIDED PRODUCED
TACTICAL, OPERATIONAL, AND STRATEGIC RESULTS. THIS RESERVIST
EPITOMIZES THE VALUES AND COMMITMENT IN THE LONG AND DISTINGUISHED
TRADITION OF THE CITIZEN MARINE EMDODIED IN THE COLONEL JAMES L.
JONES AWARD.
4. AGAIN, WELL DONE TO ALL THE NOMINEES. KEEP CHARGING! MR.
MICHAEL H. DECKER, DIRINT, SENDS.