Plymouth Native Earns Army Award in Germany

U.S. Army Capt. James Perkins, a native of Plymouth, received the 2012 USAREUR-level Gen. Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award at a Feb. 21 ceremony in Heidelberg, Germany, according to a news release from U.S. Army Europe.

Perkins was nominated while serving as a commander for A Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Separate Infantry Brigade out of Grafenwoehr, Germany, the news release indicated.

The GDMLA program was introduced in 1987 to recognize company-grade and junior warrant officers who demonstrate MacArthur's ideals of "Duty, Honor, Country," and have a proven record of extraordinary performance, leadership and achievement, according to the news release.

Other awardees were:

• Capt. William Murray II, a native of Santa Clara, CA, was nominated while serving as a commander for 42nd Clearance Company, 54th Engineer Battalion, 18th Engineer Brigade out of Bamberg, Germany.

“There was a lot of hard work by a lot of great Soldiers and NCOs that has gotten me to this point. Mentorship from my entire chain of command along the way,” Perkins said in the news release. “So I am very thankful for everyone who has helped me to this point.”

The three winners will move forward to Washington, D.C., to compete against junior leaders from other major Army commands, where only 25 officers and three warrant officers in the active, National Guard and Reserve components across the Army will receive the award, the news release indicated.