12.12.2023 –
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) presented Joseph Hungerbuhler with a Navy Civilian Service Commendation Medal during the command’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Fourth Quarter Awards Ceremony on Nov. 28, 2023.
The Navy Civilian Service Commendation Medal is awarded to Department of the Navy and U.S. Marine Corps civilians who distinguish themselves by performing well above that which is usually expected of an individual commensurate with his or her grade or specialty, and above the degree of excellence that can be appropriately reflected in the individual's performance evaluations or personnel records. The award is the fourth highest Navy civilian award, ranking just behind the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award and before the Navy Civilian Service Achievement Medal.
“By his technical achievements, tireless dedication, and outstanding support, Hungerbuhler reflected credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Navy,” NSWCPD Technical Director Nigel C. Thijs, SES, said.
Since 2011, Hungerbuhler has worked in NSWCPD’s present-day Steam Systems Branch and holds the position of senior technical specialist for Steam and Fluid Piping Systems. He is responsible for developing and providing surface ship, aircraft carrier, and submarine maintenance, as well as technical support in repairing piping, valves, steam boilers, pressure vessels, steam driven machinery, and heat exchangers.
“Mr. Hungerbuhler is recognized for his superior performance of duties while serving as a mechanical engineer at NSWCPD. In his 42 years of dedicated service, he exhibited exceptional technical expertise in surface ship, aircraft carrier, and submarine steam and fluid systems design, operation, inspection, maintenance, and repair,” NSWCPD Human Resource Specialist Celynda Cortez and the event’s emcee said, reading aloud the Navy Civilian Service Commendation Medal award citation.
According to the citation, his dedicated technical support to his fellow coworkers, the fleet, type commanders, regional maintenance centers, industrial repair activities, and NSWCPD command has been invaluable. Hungerbuhler’s knowledge, experience, and expertise have efficiently adjudicated the emerging in-serving engineering, maintenance, and repair issues. He has been an outstanding teacher and mentor to numerous steam and fluid system engineers and technicians Navy-wide. His technical engagement with the Navy’s steam and fluid system industrial maintenance community has helped ensure personnel capabilities and technical requirements will be maintained to support future fleet steam and fluid systems.
Hungerbuhler was hired into the Naval Sea Systems Engineering Station (NAVSSES) Aircraft Carrier Boiler Section in 1982 after graduating from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, with a degree in Marine Engineering. In 1983, he transferred to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard Steam Propulsion Branch, working on boilers and steam machinery in the Conventional Aircraft Carrier Service Life Extension Program. He returned to NAVSSES in 1985 and, for the past 39 years, has worked in the NSWCPD Auxiliary Machinery Systems Division.
Hungerbuhler’s NSWCPD career has included the technical areas of steam and fluid systems piping, steam boilers and pressure vessels, steam-driven machinery, all steam and fluid valves and components, condensers and heat exchangers, steam catapult aircraft launch systems and reboilers. He earned a State of Pennsylvania Professional Engineers License in 1996 and a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Villanova University in 2006.
As one of the Navy’s most senior subject matter experts and in-service engineering agents (ISEAs), Hungerbuhler interacts with Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) technical warrant holders and their staffs, Ship Design Managers (SDM), shipyard and repair facility chief engineers, and steam generating plant inspectors daily.
“He is a world-class expert in the practical interpretation of failure analysis, alternative material selection, and changes in material stresses imposed by welding and other repairs. Hungerbuhler is known throughout the Navy for his expertise in finding ways forward for complex and emergent repairs of steam and fluid systems components,” said NSWCPD Propulsion, Power & Auxiliary Machinery Systems Department Head Karen Dunlevy-Miller, adding, “His experience level, tireless technical rigor, attention to critical details, and knowledge of technical requirements are unprecedented.”
Hungerbuhler adjudicated nearly every fleet or repair activity request for steam or fluid system major departure from specifications encountered by NAVSEA for surface ships, aircraft carriers, and submarines in the past 25 years. He provided approximately 500 complex repair recommendations and associated Departure from Specifications (DFS) adjudications in the past 42 years, each of which has helped the Navy meet its mission and on-time delivery without costly delays. This has routinely included high visibility Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) maintenance availability and critical path repairs. Hungerbuhler’s technical contributions have resulted in significant repair savings and cost avoidance, and naval vessels have completed deployment missions even after system failures.
“Equally important, he has helped ensure countless Sailors operate safe and reliable equipment so they can do their jobs confidently,” Dunlevy-Miller said.
NSWCPD employs approximately 2,800 civilian engineers, scientists, technicians, and support personnel. The NSWCPD team does the research and development, test and evaluation, acquisition support, and in-service and logistics engineering for the non-nuclear machinery, ship machinery systems, and related equipment and material for Navy surface ships and submarines. NSWCPD is also the lead organization providing cybersecurity for all ship systems.