Under the provisions of Department of Defense 1348.33-M, the Secretary of Defense has awarded a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Defense Superior Service Medal to Lieutenant Colonel William D. Houck, United States Army, for exceptionally superior service to the Department of Defense as Procurement Management Officer, Resource Management and Logistics Directorate, Defense Mobilization Systems Planning Activity, from August 1988 to October 1990. Colonel Houck managed the acquisition contracting for a wide range of diverse mobilization planning and systems evaluation efforts affecting national defense strategy. He was instrumental in the development of the strategies for competitive acquisitions which resulted in reduced costs and improved performance. He was a key player in the derivation of innovative solutions to complex budget problems associated with contracting at the national level. He was responsible for the orchestration and transfer of a multitude of high-dollar, sensitive contracts while ensuring their smooth transition with minimal disruption. The distinctive accomplishments of Colonel Houck reflect great credit upon himself, the United States Army, and the Department of Defense.