May 29, 2004 Watson Institute Senior Fellow Catherine McArdle Kelleher received the highest civilian
award from Germany's Ministry of Defense—the Manfred W?rner Medal for outstanding services rendered to peace and freedom in Europe. Presented annually since 1996, Kelleher joins such luminary recipients as the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Richard C. Holbrooke, the former Polish Minister of Defense Janusz Onyszkiewicz, renowned security scholar Karsten Voigt, and the High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana Madariaga. The medal commemorates Germany's former minister of defense and NATO secretary general Manfred W?rner, who died in 1994.
In March, the formal presentation ceremony took place in the Federal Ministry of Defense in Berlin during which the current minister, Peter Struck, recognized Kelleher. "Through your wide ranging activities in the academic field to keep the transatlantic debate going, your books, articles, and your relentless research, you left your mark on the ongoing endeavour to keep NATO up to the job," Struck remarked. "Your thoughts have helped on both sides of the Atlantic to improve the understanding of transatlantic relations as well as of European and in particularly German policies," he continued. "You have rendered a great service to peace and freedom in Europe and contributed a great deal to consolidating the transatlantic partnership."
Kelleher, also a Naval War College professor, has served the U.S. government in key defense positions, including as the personal representative of the Secretary of Defense in Europe and as deputy assistant secretary involved in national security studies during the 1990s. The author of more than 60 books, monographs, and articles, Kelleher has been active in the design and implementation of programs to broaden education in security studies, both nationally and internationally, in universities and within the military.
She is the founder of the Women in International Security program, dedicated to developing career opportunities for women in the field, and is the recipient of the U.S. Defense Department's Medal for Distinguished Public Service and the Ehrenkreuz in Gold from the German Bundeswehr.
