The two separate commendations, according to EMO Director Jack Omar, were announced in September and December 2008, but Camacho chose to keep silent about them.
Dr. Setsuya Nakada, professor of volcanology of the University of Tokyo, named Camacho as “indispensable partner.”
For many times since 1998, Nakada and the other scientists were accompanied by Camacho and other EMO staff members to the Northern Islands to investigate the motion of the geological plates there.
They also conducted a geophysical and geological inspection of Anatahan after its major eruption in May 2003.
Through these projects, Nakada said they have made important scientific contributions but these would not have been carried out without the involvement of EMO and Camacho.
Nakada vowed to continue these projects.
In Nov. 2007, the Japanese scientists invited Camacho to the Cities and Volcanoes 5 International Conference in Shimabara, Japan hosted by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of Earth’s Interior.
The CNMI seismologist presented an assessment of volcanic hazards in the commonwealth.
USGS Thomas L. Murray, for his part, said Camacho is a valuable colleague and vital to their efforts in monitoring volcanic activities in the Marianas.
“He brings a good mixture of practical knowledge and basic understanding of the volcanoes and the monitoring system coupled with watchful eye to note anything out of the ordinary. His basic knowledge, instinct and skills in the job have grown in response to the increasing complexity of the monitoring systems,” Murray said.
He added that Camacho has an optimistic personality that aids all their interactions with him.
“I thoroughly enjoy working with him,” he added.
The USGS installed monitoring systems in the Northern Islands. To maintain them, the federal agency needs someone from Saipan with a basic understanding of the systems.
Following the 2003 Anatahan eruption, the USGS installed a computer-based system to record seismic data and make it available in near real-time to its staff.
Since Camacho headed EMO’s seismic section at that time, these projects gave him the opportunity to increase his basic knowledge.
When the USGS installed the SO2 monitoring station Camacho was required to be familiar with the system and the weather station operation.
When the USGS visited the CNMI last year, Camacho proposed moving the radio receiver site to its current location to protect if from vandals.
His assessment, Murray recalled, was correct.
The old radio receiver site was vandalized weeks after they moved the equipment.
Murray said the USGS could not maintain the monitoring systems without Camacho’s watchful eye.
Camacho, he added, also took an active role in troubleshooting the system.
