Col. Peter T. Underwood, USMC, received the Legion of Merit at a change of command ceremony at the Marine Corps Maintenance Center in Albany, Ga. on June 30.

He received the award for his service as the Commanding Officer of the Maintenance Center from May 2003 to June 2005. While the Albany Maintenance Center primary performs depot-level repairs on all Marine Corps ground equipment, during Underwood’s tenure as its commander, the Center’s most significant achievement was the rapid design, development and production of armor kits for trucks and Hum Vees engaged in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 18 months, more than 10 million pounds of armor plate were processed into more than 8,000 armor kits.

The son of Thomas G. and Shirley M. Underwood of Holland Station, Suffolk, Underwood is a 1975 graduate of the former Forest Glen High School, a 1979 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and a 1984 graduate of Duke University.

Underwood’s next assignment will be at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., where he will teach in the Department of Strategy and Policy.