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May 17, 2018
Defense Mapping Agency celebrates 100th anniversary By Adrienne Anderson Staff writer Former employees of the Defense Mapping Agency celebrated its 100th anniversary Friday, at the Fort Belvoir Officers’ Club. Allen Anderson, retired Army, one of the oldest living people to work at the DMA, started in 1946, well before it was officially DMA. He explained how the agency came to be and the role he played in it. “When Nixon made the decision, in 1971, much to our chagrin and that of the other services, that we were going to have a defense mapping agency, Gen. (Howard) Penny at Corps of Engineers was designated to be the first director, which got him his third star.“ Anderson was on the organizing committee with eight others, he said. Penny directed them to create a plan for organizing the agency in three weeks. And, that was the start of the DMA. The Defense Department officially established DMA in 1972 and the school was responsible for all military mapping. Eventually, the organization became part of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency in 1996. David Maune, retired Army, was the sixth director of the Defense Mapping School. Maune talked about the first topographers — captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. He explained the history and importance of topography. «Back then, it was called the Corps of Discovery, and they pioneered the trip out to the Pacific Coast and did a lot of mapping along the way and came back with sketches and things on what the country looked like, west of St. Louis,” Maune said. Corps of Discovery was an Army unit established in 1804 with Lewis and Clark and volunteers.
Photo by Paul Lara
Former personnel from Defense Mapping Agency and School cut the cake at Fort Belvoir Officers’ Club, celebrating the school’s 100th anniversary. The Corps of Discovery unit continued on after Lewis and Clark. The Corps of Topographical Engineers was formed in 1838 and lasted until the beginning of the Civil War. They were merged with the Corps of Engineers, where they remain today. This unit surveyed the west and major facilities for the country, Maune said. Over the years, topography has changed, he said. «We are now focusing on geo-spatial intelligence,” Maune said, adding that positions such as topographers, cartographers and printers don’t exist anymore. «It’s for the better,» Maune said about how technology has changed the field. «We are now doing things digitally.» For more information about the Defense Mapping School, visit www.belvoirdms.org.
See related story, page A6
Submitted photo
In this file photo, Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Bill Jones, provides instruction to Pvt. Robin Anderson during the basic Cartography Phase II course at the Defense Mapping School on Fort Belvoir.
Save the dates! Safety Day Today, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Near Bldg. 259, off of 16th Street Tickets for first 100 to Dan Short, from FantomWorks
Formation Run and Run to Honor Friday, Pullen Field Near Specker Field House First unit starts 7 a.m. Run to Honor starts 7:30
Armed Forces Kids Run
Memorial observance
Saturday, 9 a.m., Pullen Field, by Specker Registration ends Friday Distances vary for ages 4-13 www.americaskidsrun.org 703-805-9138
May 24, 10 a.m., Long Parade Field Near 21st Street; Belvoir Road Retired Navy Capt. Eugene B. ‘Red’ McDaniel Guest speaker