U.S. ARMY CHEMICAL CORPS
Distinguished Member of the Corps
2019
Colonel Robert D. Walk
Colonel Robert D. Walk comes from a patriotic family with a long tradition of honorable military service. He served for 11 years on active duty in the U.S. Army.
While on active duty, Colonel Walk served in Germany as a Decontamination Detachment (FB) and later HQ Company (59th Ordnance Brigade) Commander. He was ordered to be the lead trainer in the Nunn-Lugar-Dominici Domestic Preparedness Program, which provided training in dealing with the consequences of terrorist use of Weapons of Mass Destruction. He helped develop Consequence Management doctrine and training for both the National Guard and Army Reserve. As the Senior Reserve Officer at the CBRN School, he represented the Branch in international meetings, mentored young Soldiers and officers attending the school and led the Schools Homeland Security Office. Before retiring in 2012, he was serving in a Joint Position as the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Strategic Commands Center for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction at Fort Belvoir Virginia.
Many of Colonel Walk’s articles have become standard reference guides for the identification and cataloging of museum artifacts. In addition to the 46 items that have been catalogued, he has donated countless other items, books, documents and photographs to the museum and history office. This benefitted the military history program. Since retirement, he has continued to provide the museum with the results of the research he conducts on Chemical Corps History at the National Archives.
Colonel Walk’s awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal 6th award and the Army Commendation medal with two oak leaf clusters.