Beverly Briggs

Elsewhere

Posted: Wednesday, May 02, 2001

SPRINGFIELD, Va. - Beverly Dalton Briggs, 62, formerly of Amarillo and Fort Worth, Texas, died Saturday, April 28, 2001.

Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in the First Presbyterian Church in Canyon, Texas, with the Rev. Dr. Don McDonald officiating. Burial will be in Dreamland Cemetery by Brooks Funeral Directors of Canyon.

Mrs. Briggs was born on Oct. 7, 1938 in Fort Worth. She graduated from Paschal High School and Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. In 1961, she moved to Amarillo, where she was employed as a chemist at the Helium Research Center. She married Tedford Briggs on April 25, 1964, in Canyon. In 1971, they moved to Springfield, where Beverly was employed by the Army at Fort Belvoir, Va.

During her professional career, Beverly was the author or co-author of more than 24 publications covering a wide range of theoretical and experimental science and engineering. She received the following awards at Fort Belvoir: 1982 Meritorious Civilian Service Award, 1987 Commander's Award for Civilian Service, 1990 Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service, 1993 Superior Civilian Service Award, 1995 CECOM Leader of the Year, 1998 Director's Award for Excellence, and 1997 and 1998 Telly Award, presented for outstanding achievement in public interest audio / visual products. Beverly was responsible for the production of training videos on mine awareness and emergency medical treatment in the event of a mine explosion.

Beverly led the Humanitarian Demining R&D Program from its beginning in fiscal year 1995. She constituted and directed a team effort consisting of on-site and off-site contractors, matrix support personnel of the U.S. Army Communications Electronics Command, Special Forces soldiers and Army Non-commissioned Officers assigned to the Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate, and team members in deployment of key items of equipment worldwide.

Beverly was the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense focal point for planning, directing and executing this important program. Under her leadership, the program has developed and demonstrated over 50 prototype humanitarian demining technologies in the areas of detection, mine and vegetation clearance, individual deminer protection and tools, and mine awareness and training. Many of the most successful prototype items have been deployed to over 20 countries over the last four years.

Beverly formed the program office in the fall of 1994. She led development of the initial program plan and preparation of the initial report to Congress in early 1995. She devised a methodology to determine the most critical needs of deminers around the world, and guided the development of the types of items most needed in the areas suffering the greatest casualties from land mines. Beverly has been responsible for development and subsequent presentation of a host of program related developments to national and international groups including, director, Thailand Mine Action Center; Secretary of State for Global Demining; Swedish Minister of Defense; Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology; and Congressional Staffs.

Beverly was preceded in death by her mother, Willie Julie Whitehead Dalton; and by a brother, Dan Dalton.

Survivors include her husband; a son, Matthew Briggs of San Diego; a daughter-in-law, Karen Briggs of San Diego; her father, Garland Dalton of Arlington, Texas; her stepmother, Freda Dalton of Arlington; a sister, Patricia Dalton of Fort Worth; and a brother, Gary Dalton of Mansfield, Texas.

The family suggests memorials be to Hospice of Northern Virginia, 6565 Arlington Blvd., Suite No. 500, Falls Church, VA 22042.

Amarillo Globe-News, May 2, 2001