The Air Force Medical Service Bio-environmental Program in the second half of the 20th Century gave the USAF an edge in the promotion of both aviation and space. The program researched and monitored the living and working environment of those in aircraft, space and missile activities as well as the ground support personnel. Many of these efforts were years ahead of most civilian and industrial operations.

The nominated honoree is Herbert E Bell, a native of Virginia, a 1951 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, who was commissioned in the USAF upon graduation. In 1954, he earned a M. S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In his 30 years of active service he served in numerous assignments with distinction. They included: Air Materiel Command sanitary engineer and industrial hygiene officer; similar job at a subcommand of the Strategic Air Command and Pacific Air Command; department head at the School of Aviation Medicine; Director of Environmental Protection for Headquarters USAF; Commander, Occupational and Environmental Health Laboratory; Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Health Affairs [Environment] and, Chief, Biomedical Science Corps.

The above positions contributed significantly to the safety and efficiency of the USAF at the time. They also helped lay the groundwork for the future by educating not only engineers, but also flight surgeons and other medical and safety professionals.