Indian Head, Maryland –
Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) honored two of its retired employees in June: former Chief of Staff Darrin Krivitsky and Corporate Operations Department Head Dottie Tackett. Krivitsky was recognized with the Department of the Navy (DON) Meritorious Civilian Service Award, June 21, and Tackett with the DON Civilian Service Commendation Medal, June 23.
Krivitsky was recognized for his leadership as a branch head, division head and the Energetics Manufacturing Department head and the Corporate Operations Department head at the command from January 1997 to April 2022, and Tackett for her role as an agent of change for the command, to include introducing effective systems and efficient processes in support of the organization’s mission and goals from May 2006 to May 2022.
Krivitsky spent 35-year career at the command. He began his career as the co-op engineer in 1984, and rose through the ranks before transitioning into the role of the command’s Corporate Operations Department head.
Krivitsky was instrumental in the introduction of Lean manufacturing techniques at the command. Working with experts from the University of Maryland, he oversaw the development of Cartridge Actuated Devices / Propellant Actuated Devices Lean lines still in use today. He also introduced the Lean Six Sigma tools at Cast Products, improving both quality and delivery.
As the Energetics Manufacturing Department head, Krivitsky created department-level positions that focused on quality and safety, a precursor to the current technical rigor initiatives in use at the command. He guided many major manufacturing efforts including the restart of the command’s extrusion plant, the manufacture of 100,000-plus Smokey Sam rocket motors, the manufacture of more than 100,000 Mark 152 warheads, the restart of the Trident Plant and the restart of the Moser Plant to manufacture Otto fuel II: a monopropellant used to drive torpedoes and other weapon systems.
The citation for Krivitsky award noted he exhibited one of the most efficient, innovative and motivational leadership styles employed at the command, and had positively influenced numerous organizations and employees.
Tackett’s retirement was the culmination of 40 years of government service. She was also part of the introduction of Lean concepts to the command, stepping up as a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt leading teams to solve command issues, including re-organizations, resource contentions, metrics development and project execution.
She was detailed as deputy department head of the Corporate Operations Department in 2012 just prior to the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division merger with Indian Head Division. She led the organization structure merger sub-team, developing the initial combined command organization, aligning goals, policies, and mission. As deputy department head, Tackett assisted in the oversight of the department’s 120 employees and their $56 million dollar non-labor budget, managing corporate communications, corporate business, information technology, information assurance, security, facilities, human resources, enterprise resource planning, and process improvement services.
Tackett’s citation read in part: “She consistently elevated the concerns of the command above her own personal or organizational interests as a change agent and a solution provider. Ms. Tackett’s commitment to duty provided unprecedented benefits to the Warfare Centers and the Navy.”