Army Distaff Foundation honors Ret. Army Col. Deborah Birx, M.D. and Brian Caveney, M.D. with 2021 Dwight D. and Mamie Eisenhower Distinguished Citizen Awards

The Dwight D. and Mamie Eisenhower Distinguished Citizen Awards are named after ADF’s co-founders, U.S. President Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower and first lady Mamie Eisenhower. The 34th president of the United States was a 5-star U.S. Army General. President Eisenhower and the first lady established ADF in 1959 to operate Knollwood to ensure military widows had a home to live in. To this day, Knollwood is home to senior residents who have had careers as officers of the U.S. uniformed services and select federal agencies. Knollwood residents enjoy living independently in apartments and in assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care areas at Knollwood.

While every American and human faces health threats from COVID-19, those who are aging in senior living communities like Knollwood, remain the most vulnerable.  

“Most of our residents and staff endured the early stages of COVID-19 well thanks to the health guidance and support provided by retired Army Col. Deborah Birx, M.D. and Brian Caveney, M.D. of Labcorp,” commented Gen. John “Jack” Keane, ADF Chairman. “We are eternally grateful for their leadership providing medical expertise and universal testing, which we know saved precious American lives at Knollwood and around the country. The Eisenhower Awards reflect our admiration for their indispensable support of our emergency response to the public health crisis.”

Dr. Birx is a retired U.S. Army physician who served as the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator from 2020 to 2021. She worked with the White House Coronavirus taskforce to develop COVID-19 safety protocols and provide critical, daily information to the country about the virus. She is a world-renowned global health expert who specializes in HIV/AIDS, immunology, vaccine research and global health. She worked under Presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama to support HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention in 65 countries.  

“It’s truly an honor to be recognized for the hard work the entire task force put in on behalf of our country’s public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Birx. “The 2021 Dwight D. and Mamie Eisenhower Distinguished Citizen Award is especially meaningful to me because ADF and Knollwood serve those I’ve had the pleasure of honorably serving alongside.”

The second 2021 Dwight D. and Mamie Eisenhower Distinguished Citizen Award is being presented to Dr. Caveney, chief medical officer and president, Labcorp Diagnostics. Labcorp offered Knollwood leadership a lifeline when it was the only organization to provide universal, wide-scale testing of the 550 residents and staff in the first month of the pandemic. The company’s immediate response helped identify the people who had COVID-19 but were not presenting symptoms. The testing was essential to keeping the virus out of Knollwood and saved precious lives. 

Dr. Caveney stated, “I couldn’t be more honored to accept the 2021 Dwight D. and Mamie Eisenhower Distinguished Citizen Award on behalf of all my colleagues at Labcorp. Our team was ready to respond with universal testing for Knollwood early on in the pandemic. To know we made a life-saving impact is the most gratifying professional accomplishment as a health care professional.”  

All gala proceeds support ADF’s Financial Assistance Fund and Health & Wellness Innovation programs to sustain and enhance the quality of life for Knollwood residents and their families. To become a sponsor, or to donate, visit armydistaff.org/gala.    
                      
                           
About ADF 
ADF is a 501 (c) (3) charity established in 1959 that provides housing, health, and wellness services to older people who serve our nation. ADF provides these services at Knollwood Military Life Plan Community in Washington, DC, which ADF built, owns, and operates. With the support of concerned donors, ADF provides these services regardless of one’s ability to pay. 
  
About Knollwood 
Knollwood is a non-profit community for people age 62+, a mixture of officers of the U.S. uniformed services and their eligible family, for whom the community was founded, non-government, non-military people with strong connections to the metro DC area, as well as high-level federal officials from various agencies. Independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care services are offered at Knollwood. Knollwood is owned and operated by The Army Distaff Foundation, a 501(c)3 established in 1959 to provide housing, health, and wellness services to mature adults who have served our nation. Knollwood provides a compassionate boutique community with exceptional wellness and purposeful living. Adjacent to Rock Creek Park and minutes from fine dining, cultural attractions, and the nation’s premier medical centers, the upper northwest Washington, D.C. location is unbeatable. Residents enjoy vibrant community living with inviting, modern apartment homes, and robust wellness programs to suit all interests. 

Media Contacts: 
Sarah Makuta, [email protected] 
Laura Van Eperen, [email protected]