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NEWS | May 10, 2023

NSWC IHD Employees Recognized with NAVSEA Excellence Awards

By NSWC Indian Head Public Affairs Office

Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) Comptroller Department Head Thomas Raleigh and Dr. Kathryn Brown, a scientist in the NSWC IHD Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation Department, were recognized at the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) level for the FY22 Warfare Center (WC) NAVSEA Excellence Awards. 

Raleigh was recognized as part of the Business Operations: NAVSEA WC Comptrollers “One NAVSEA Teamwork Award.” The award was presented to all 10 of the WC comptrollers, WC Headquarters Financial Directorate, and the NAVSEA 015 Division for “their dedication to the mission and ability to leverage financial expertise and high velocity learning within the enterprise to meet customer demands while successfully managing WC financial performance.”

The nomination shared that the NAVSEA WCs are the largest Navy Working Capital Fund in terms of the number of activities within the Research and Development Laboratory business model. While the WCs do a tremendous job of collaborating, the comptrollers came together to create multiple community of interest (COI) groups to address common problem areas and create solutions. The COIs have developed and published more than 15 common processes and documented stand operating procedures for complex financial problems. By embracing this “One Team” approach, they were able to eliminate costly duplicative efforts and solve complex issues ensuring the WC are able to carry out their mission in the most effective and cost-conscious manner.

Brown, was awarded the FY22 WC NAVSEA Excellence in Safety Award. Brown’s proactive and dedicated approach to laser safety improvements at the command garnered her the nomination and ultimately the award.  Brown’s citation noted that “Too often, increased productivity and improved safety practices are viewed as competing pursuits. Dr. Katie Brown, through hard work and initiate, has shown that an improved safety culture and increased productivity are not mutually exclusive and can be achieved simultaneously. Dr. Brown's accomplishments have illustrated how any employee can made a positive change in the safety practices and improve an already strong safety culture at NSWC [IHD].”

After working with newly-procured laser systems at the command’s Advanced Energetics Laboratory, she noted areas where laser safety equipment, logs and operating procedures could be improved. Brown volunteered to be the command’s laser system safety officer and updated/upgraded safety protections and equipment, as well as working with the command’s Safety Division to modify existing written procedures to ensure safer laser operations while increasing productivity. She went on to support the Voluntary Protection Program inspections and recurring laser safety inspections, showing enthusiasm for completing the work in the safest manner possible.

The FY22 WC NAVSEA award presentations were held on May 4, at the Washington Navy Yard.

 

NSWC IHD — a field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command and part of the Navy’s Science and Engineering Establishment — is the leader in ordnance, energetics, and EOD solutions. The Division focuses on energetics research, development, testing, evaluation, in-service support, manufacturing and disposal; and provides warfighters solutions to detect, locate, access, identify, render safe, recover, exploit and dispose of explosive ordnance threats.

 

-NAVSEA-