From Deadman's Trail

Tim Davidson receives the R. Lynn Rylander Award

INSIDENOVA - Northern Virginia's Leading News Source                                        Feb 28, 2017

Vienna resident wins national award for contributions to defense


Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Thomas “Tim” Davidson of Vienna recently received the National Defense Industrial Association’s R. Lynn Rylander Award – the highest honor presented for significant and lasting contributions to the special-operations community.

Col. Davidson is a combat veteran of Southeast Asia, where he flew 120 combat missions and received two Distinguished Flying Crosses and 11 Air Medals. He moved to Vienna in 1993 while assigned to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict. Davidson is a longtime member of Wesley United Methodist Church and coached Vienna Youth Soccer for nine years.

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The R. Lynn Rylander Award, our highest honor, is presented annually to an individual who has made distinctive contributions in the areas of Special Operations, Low Intensity Conflict, or Irregular Warfare. Achievements may be singular or cumulative, but in the spirit of R. Lynn Rylander’s service, the policy, guidance, leadership, or mission contributions must have been of the highest impact – highly significant and lasting – to the SO/LIC community and show support of the goals and objectives of NDIA and the SO/LIC Division. The Award is named for R. Lynn Rylander, a Department of Defense civilian who was a founding member of the organization which is now the SO/LIC Division of NDIA. Lynn was an early advocate and activist on the revitalization of Special Operations Forces and the organizational and legislative changes required to sustain them.


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