Dr. Russ Butts, a Senior Scientist at MZA, was elected a Fellow of the Optical Society of America (OSA) by its Board of Directors at the October 18, 2005 meeting in Tucson, Arizona. The Society's announcement says he is "being recognized for outstanding contributions to the advancement of High Energy Laser beam control in adaptive optics, tracking and pointing, and in understanding the science of laser propagation in the atmosphere."

This is the latest well-deserved honor Dr. Butts has received. In 2001, the Secretary of Defense awarded Dr. Butts the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award, the highest award given to career Defense employees, and in 2003, Dr. Butts' contributions to the field led to his selection as a Fellow of the Directed Energy Professional Society. These awards are the results of Dr. Butts' nearly thirty years of service to our country as an Air Force officer and civil servant at the Air Force Research Laboratory and its predecessors.