Lockheed Martin's Chelmsford Facility Earns a Second Prestigious Department of Defense Security Award

News provided by

Jun 28, 2010, 01:24 ET

CHELMSFORD, Mass., June 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin's (NYSE: LMT) Chelmsford Operations has been awarded the prestigious James S. Cogswell Award for Outstanding Industrial Security. Of the more than 13,000 defense contractors that are subject to annual inspection in the National Industrial Security Program, only nine were honored with a Cogswell Award this year.

It is the second Cogswell Award for the Chelmsford Operations facility, which received its first Cogswell Award for security excellence in 2006.

The company received the honor June 16 during the annual National Classification Management Society training seminar in Reno, NV. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control's Jack Belcher, director and general manager in Chelmsford; Joe Souza, facility security officer in Chelmsford; Mark Lucas, director of Security Services; Dan Ivey, director and deputy of Security Services; and Jennifer Rossignol, senior security manager, accepted the honor on behalf of the company.

"We are extremely proud to have achieved this distinction," said Mark Lucas, director of Security Services for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "We owe it to our Warfighters and to our country to protect critical defense information, products and people at our sites. We are extremely pleased that the Defense Security Service has recognized our employees' commitment to security excellence."

The Cogswell Award, established in 1966, is named in honor of the late Air Force Col. James S. Cogswell, the first chief of industrial security within the Department of Defense. Cogswell was responsible for developing the basic principles of the Industrial Security Program, which include an emphasis on the partnership between industry and government to protect classified information. This partnership ultimately ensures the greatest protection for the U.S. Warfighter and our Nation's classified information. The Cogswell Award recognizes industrial security excellence.

"I am very proud of the Lockheed Martin Chelmsford team and their commitment to excellence in support of our Warfighters," said Jack Belcher, Chelmsford Operations site director and general manager. "The protection of our facilities and the classified information contained therein is a demanding task, and our employees have demonstrated their commitment to security time and time again with respect to this vital responsibility."

The award criteria focus on principles of industrial security excellence. Factors include establishing and maintaining a security program that far exceeds the basic National Industrial Security Program requirements, and providing leadership to other cleared facilities in establishing best practices while maintaining the highest standards for security.

The Cogswell Award selection process is rigorous. A Defense Security Service (DSS) Industrial Security Representative may only nominate facilities that have at a minimum two consecutive superior industrial security review ratings and which show a sustained degree of excellence and innovation in their overall security program management, implementation and oversight. The Cogswell Award is given for outstanding achievement in matters related exclusively to a facility's security program. DSS makes the final selections.

In addition to the Cogswell Award, Lockheed Martin's Chelmsford Operations was rated "superior" for its industrial security program by DSS in October 2009. This was the fourth consecutive superior rating for the facility.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 136,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2009 sales of $45.2 billion.

For additional information, visit Lockheed Martin's Web site:

http://www.lockheedmartin.com

SOURCE Lockheed Martin