AMERICAN SYSTEMS’ Albuquerque, New Mexico, facility recently received the 2020 James S. Cogswell Award for security excellence.
The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency presented the award in recognition of the facility’s industrial security excellence, establishment and maintenance of a security program that exceeds National Industrial Security Program requirements and continual guidance to develop best practices while maintaining the highest standards for security in other cleared facilities.
The AMERICAN SYSTEMS’ Albuquerque facility was one of 61 chosen from approximately 12,500 cleared facilities.
“As a federal contractor supporting national priority programs, the importance of safeguarding our country’s classified information is paramount to the safety of our warfighters and citizens. Our security department, top to bottom, is second to none,” said Peter Smith, president and CEO of AMERICAN SYSTEMS. “We are proud to be recognized with this prestigious award that acknowledges their dedication to their craft—we know what’s at stake.”
The James S. Cogswell Award is the most prestigious honor DCSA can bestow to cleared industry. Only 1% of the more than 12,000 cleared contractors in the National Industrial Security Program receive the award each year.
The award was established in 1966 in honor of the late Air Force Col. James S. Cogswell, the first chief of industrial security within the Defense Department. During his tenure, Cogswell developed the basic principles of the Industrial Security Program, which emphasize partnership between industry and government to protect classified information. This partnership ultimately ensures the protection of U.S. warfighters and classified information.