WASHINGTON, D.C. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter honored Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz with the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Award, the department's highest civilian honor. Secretary Carter presented the award to Secretary Moniz at a ceremony at the Department of Energy (DOE) headquarters in Washington, D.C., in recognition of Secretary Moniz's leadership in strengthening the partnership between the Department of Defense (DoD) and the DOE in support of vital national security missions.

We face a nuclear landscape that continues to pose challenges,†Carter said. Secretary Moniz has been a key player in helping to shape that landscape for decades, and for the better. He's led numerous international efforts to counter proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, engaging international partners to improve nuclear safeguards, and made verifiable nuclear reductions.

He also personally played an instrumental role in the technical analysis and negotiations to secure the historic deal that is preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. And of course supporting our nuclear deterrent mission and collaborating with DoD and all of our scientific challenges is only a part of what DOE does every day on behalf of the country.â€

The Distinguished Public Service Award is the DoD's highest honor for private citizens and non-career public servants. This award to Secretary Moniz, Carter said, underscores the fact that America's nuclear deterrent is the bedrock of national security and the highest priority mission of the Department of Defense. This year, Secretary Carter also presented the award to former Secretaries of State Madeline Albright and Henry Kissinger; former National Security Advisers Zbigniew Brzezinski and Brent Scowcroft; former Sen. John Warner; Director of National Intelligence James Clapper; and Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson.

I am honored to accept this award from Ash Carter, a friend, a colleague, and an outstanding public servant,†Moniz said at the ceremony. And especially in front of this audience that shares in this award. It recognizes how the men and women of the Departments of Defense and Energy work together to ensure America's national security. We are proud to partner with DoD, uniformed and civilian, in sustaining the deterrent through our shared commitment to technology, innovation, and science.â€

Secretary Carter and Secretary Moniz emphasized the investments DoD and DOE ha...