Champions of Change Blog

Seeking Energy-Efficient Solutions for Military Operations

Alan Samuels is being recognized as a Champion of Change for his work advancing new ideas that are leading the way to a clean energy future and an economy that’s built to last.

I am humbled to be recognized as a White House Champion of Change on behalf of a dedicated community within the Department of Defense, whose focus is to improve our efficiencies in expeditionary energy. The logistics associated with transporting military power to remote areas across the globe are extraordinary and can lend themselves to inefficiencies, and therefore present an excellent opportunity for the Army and joint research and development communities. During my recent deployment to Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, I had the opportunity to study our operational energy practices and technology and to learn where we can improve our power generation and usage techniques, training and material to make our forces effective across the full range of military operations -- from combat missions in Afghanistan, to humanitarian assistance/disaster relief missions anywhere in the world. History, and my own experience at the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command’s (RDECOM) Chemical-Biological center, shows that once the military develops these methods and technologies they transfer to the public and even more uses are found for them. 

Sustainable Farming for Global and National Food Security

Chad and Jodi Ray are being recognized as Champions of Change for their work demonstrating that corporate environmental leadership makes sense, both for business and for American communities.

You want children and their parents to value the family farm lifestyle and farmers? We must educate, educate, and educate some more why sustainable farming is so important to our world food supply.

Ray Family Farms of Bunn, NC markets their products directly to the consumer. We produce Animal Welfare Approved beef, pork and eggs. We also grow vegetables and raise poultry. The only family farmer poultry processor in our state is not AWA approved -- that is the only reason our poultry is not. We raise delicious, healthy, and nutritious food from “conception to consumption.”  Other than animal welfare, our farm is very committed to educating our customers and community, promoting environmental stewardship, and utilizing wildlife enhanced farmland. 

The history of our family’s roots here in Franklin County, NC are as deep as a 200’ pine tree. The history of our farm however is not. It is less than 35 years old. Our parents' generation was really the first to ever accumulate land assets. We come from a long line of “dirt” farmers -- dirt farmers were all the people around here who lived off the land. All of their income and the food they ate came from the patch of land they were working. Most of the time that involved working other peoples' land -- sharecropping.  My mother and her family moved 14 times in 16 years while she grew up as a sharecropper. Our parents will leave us our farm that was purchased in our lifetime. That is a very powerful responsibility knowing our ancestors worked hundreds of years to give us the opportunity to make something great out of a farm handed down to us.