INDIAN HEAD, Md. ─ Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian
Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division (NSWC IHEODTD) held the annual Honorary Awards ceremony, June 23, at the Indian Head Town Pavilion to
recognize those individuals and teams who made significant contributions to
fulfilling the command's mission during calendar year 2014.
"The people we are recognizing today represent about
four percent of our total workforce. While we are here to recognize them, I want
to take a moment and acknowledge the larger Indian Head EOD Technology Division
team and their contributions to our Division's success as well," said NSWC
IHEODTD Commanding Officer Capt. Vincent Martinez. "Additionally, many of
you selflessly contribute to the community through volunteering, coaching,
mentoring and teaching. These acts also
contribute to the Command's success, as well as our country's future. Thank you
for all that you do each and every day."
The Division's Technical Director also applauded
employees for their accomplishments and technical rigor.
"When I came aboard a little more than a year ago as
your Technical Director, I shared with you five tenets to guide this
Division. They were Morale, Discipline,
Proficiency, Motivation and Esprit de Corps," said NSWC IHEODTD Technical
Director, Ashley Johnson. "This
recognition ceremony demonstrates how each of you is embodying these
tenets. What we do matters, and I'm
proud to be your Technical Director."
AWARD CRITERIA / RECIPIENT(S) / ACHIEVEMENT:
Roger M. Smith Team Award focuses on the contributions
made through teaming efforts to improve the organization's performance and
effectiveness to meet customer needs. The Insensitive Munition General Purpose
Bomb Fill team [Thomas Berry, William Boggs, Gregory Bowman, Samantha Church,
Otis Cobey, Joseph Craven, Timothy Freehling, Scottie Gaines, Sean Hancock,
Johnnie Hart, Heather Hayden, Preston Homes, Shelton Johnson, Anthony King,
Richard Muscato, Lori Nock, Stuart Richman, Mary Sherlock, Harold Sandusky and
Melvin Thomas] was recognized for development, scale-up and demonstration of
PBXIH-141 as an insensitive munition explosive fill replacement for use in the
BLU-110 General Purpose Bomb. The team comprised of personnel from the command's
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) and Energetics
Manufacturing Departments completed a 720-pound mix under a very tight
schedule; delivered test units on schedule; and results showed reduced
sensitivity.
Project Manager of the Year Award a project manager who
has made a significant contribution to the planning and execution of his/her
assigned project(s) the past year. Bernadette Wackerle, Energetics
Manufacturing Department, was recognized for her work as the MK90 Propellant
Grain Production project manager. MK90 grains are used in the MK66 rocket and
Hydra 70 system used by U.S. Army. Wackerle led a cross-departmental team of 95
employees in a $42.6 million production effort that included project planning,
plant start-up, and the manufacturing of 30,000 grains. Her leadership helped the command meet
delivery dates, stay within budget and improve production quality; and resulted
in additional propellant grain manufacturing orders.
Internal Customer Service Award recognizes those individuals,
organizational units, or teams who provided excellent service to the internal
customers. Two awards were presented in this category. The Systems Engineering Department
Acquisition Office [Paula Greaser-Hayes, Michele Gilroy, Linda Murphy, Dawn
Tolson, Dave Wood, Denise Yates-Price, Darlene Gragan, Susan Simpson, Deanna
Shnayer, Chuck Funkhouser, Brain Anderson, Kris Shnayer, Stacey Fuller, Tiffany
Johnson and Kelly Gragan] was recognized for providing acquisition expertise
and strategy to both internal customers and external organizations. The team consistently provided superior
customer service by ensuring all customer requirements were handled quickly and
efficiently. Their expertise provided to
the technical community has reduced the administrative burden. Lisa Robey,
Corporate Operations Department, was also recognized for expert Human Resource
support. Robey ensured managers remained
informed on employee hiring packages, and she worked closely with the Office of
Civilian Human Resources to receive quality hiring options to meet
requirements.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Diversity Award
recognizes the achievements of an individual or group excelling in the
extension of equal opportunity to those seeking Federal employment or by assisting
Federal employees to achieve their highest potential and productivity. Two
awards were presented in this category Elizabeth Lee, Marisol MacCheyne and Dr.
Dion Serben, Systems Integration Department, were recognized for coordinating
with command EEO staff; the Army Research Development and Engineering Center;
the Garrison command staff; the installation General Commander staff; and the
Program Executive Office Ammunition staff in the planning and execution of the
Women's History Month event in Picatinny, N.J.
Normary Camacho-Cardoza, EOD Department and command Federal Women's
Program Coordinator, was recognized for the Women's History Month and Hispanic
Heritage Month activities on the Indian Head site; and for her assistance in
the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI) Organizational
Climate Survey (DEOCS) results analysis.
Dr. Horst Adolph Award for Outstanding Patent recognizes
an individual or group of inventors for the most significant and beneficial
patent to the Navy and the country. Robert Daily, Brian Taylor, Deran Eaton and
Yolanda Torres were recognized for their patent, "Multispectral infrared
simulation target array," that improves the prior art for test targets of
infrared search and track, guidance and general sensory systems. This unique invention significantly reduces
the life cycle costs of test systems and solves known issues involved with
conventional infrared sensor testing equipment - to include
both resistive focal
plane array and
Blackbody sources.
Continuous Process Improvement Award recognizes
individual or group efforts that result in significant administrative,
business, or technical improvements accomplished through Lean and/or Six Sigma
processes that yield benefits in cost, schedule, quality, and/or risk
mitigation. Paulette Bowman, Renee Brown, Dr. Martin Chernoff, Darlene Gragan,
Willy Quiambao, Nancy Solomon, Abigail Stokes and Sherri Stonestreet. The Contracts Department conducted a Rapid
Improvement Event on its Peer Review Board process (PRB) for contractual
actions. The team switched from a paper
copy distribution method to an electronic system. A virtual PRB process was developed for lower
risk or simpler cases that require a review but do not require a meeting. For the cases that still require a meeting,
the meeting has been cut in half by having reviewers submit comments to the
contract specialist in advance.
Command Award for Safety Excellence recognizes employees
who have made a significant effort to enhance safe work practices in their
area. The Systems Engineering Department Safety Committee [Amanda Spooner,
Taylor Young, John Backes [Back-us], Robert Hastings, Mike Deeds, Cynthia
Manns, Pansy Cole, Allen Wilson, Rodney Lucas, Ed Hernandez, Wade Babcock,
Zaeem Husain and Paula Greaser-Hayes] was recognized for provided opportunities
for employees to actively participate in the Safety Program. This committee met on a recurring basis to
discuss organizational and employee safety issues, publish safety newsletters
to raise awareness of organizational safety issues, establish a system for
employees to report hazards to management and suggest how to correct hazards. The team's effort increased general safety
awareness and promoted promptly identifying and reporting unsafe/unhealthful
working conditions. As a result of their efforts their department did not
experience a work- or duty-related injury in 2014.
Capt. H.E. Lackey Community Service Award recognizes an
individual or team who provided significant contributions to the community. Two
awards were presented in this category.
Jean Nelson was recognized for her dedicated service to community's
youth in the areas of STEM, youth training and general charity. Nelson serves as a robotics coach and
competition coordinator. Her teams won several awards while learning about
robot design, programming, project management and CORE values. Additionally,
she has served the community as Girl Scout Leader or assistant for 12 years, a
science fair judge, a Project Lead the Way judge, a Swim Team stroke/turn
judge, a badge counselor for the Boy Scouts, a speaker/volunteer at College of
Southern Maryland Women in Math event and a food bank volunteer. Donna Sheff earned an award for community
support for co-founding, "Caring Needle." Caring Needle is an organization consisting
of 14 women who crochet items (hats, scarf, blankets, etc.) and distribute them
to homeless, elderly and people who are terminally ill. Sheff also co-founded, "Women on a
Mission," group which encourages healthy eating and exercising. Sheff has also served for the past 12 years
as a youth mentor in her church.
A.J. Perk Outstanding Operator/Technician of the Year
Award recognizes model employees who serve as an example to others. Three
individuals were awarded in this category. Jay Dalton, System Engineering
Department, was recognized for his work in the field of Cartridge- and
Propellant-Actuated Devices (CAD/PAD) Ordnance Assessment. Dalton is considered an expert for ballistic
testing of aircraft emergency egress catapults, thrusters, removers, linear
shape explosives and stores release cartridges. In 2014, Dalton completed
numerous ordnance assessment projects and assisted others to ensure their
projects were done in a timely manner.
Loleta Carroll and Earl Simms, Energetics Manufacturing Department, were
recognized for their support of the ABL 2434 casting powder manufacturing
effort. Carroll and Simms were relied on
for their knowledge to ensure success of the operations. Carroll and Simms
currently train operators in manufacturing operations and ensure safety
protocols and procedures are followed. Their work ethic, leadership,
initiative, attention to detail, and abilities have ensured ABL 2434
manufacturing efforts are done in safe manner.
Adm. Harold R. Stark Award for Innovation recognizes an
individual or group who made a significant, state-of-the-art achievement in
their field of endeavor. Thinh Hoang, Systems Engineering Department, was
recognized advancing energy harvesting efforts and establishing NSWC IHEODTD as
a leader in this emerging technology. During 2014, Hoang designed and
demonstrated unique energy harvesting solutions for several programs; and led
efforts to provide a digital time delay cartridge to improve timing reliability
and manufacturing associated with CADs. Hoang's successful demonstration of
previously unattainable energy-harvesting solution for CAD/PAD and fusing applications
will lead to improved technologies to protect and enable the warfighter.
Joe L. Browning Award for Managerial Excellence
recognizes supervisors who demonstrate managerial excellence, practice quality
leadership principles, and demonstrate coaching and teaming management skills.
Two individuals were awarded in this category.
Dr. Jason Jouet, RDT&E Department, was recognized for his
exceptional leadership and dedication to research, safety and morale. Supervising a diverse group of scientists and
engineers, Jouet remained strongly engaged in the work of each of his
employees, and encouraged both collaborative endeavors and individual
growth. He challenged his employees to
explore new avenues, supported their efforts and championed their accomplishments.
Lester Leonard, Energetics Manufacturing Department, was recognized for his
leadership, coaching and mentoring of 12 engineers and engineering technicians
who conduct energetics operations. Leonard encouraged training and professional
development of his team; and demonstrated an efficient, innovative and
motivational leadership style.
Dr. George W. Patterson Award for Outstanding
Accomplishment recognizes an individual for his or her outstanding technical
accomplishments which have a pronounced effect in support of NSWC IHEODTD
operations, as well as advancement in this area of technology. Dr. Richard Lee,
RDT&E Department, was recognized for his contributions to combustion
technology. Lee, a scientist and engineer,
represented the Command in the enhanced blast and reactive material blast
programs in the Advanced Energetics Research Initiative since 2000. Lee interfaced with Department of Defense,
Department of Energy, industry and academia to evaluate the energetic content
of different formulations for Defense applications. His expertise in metal combustion provided a
scientific basis for subsequent technical improvement that led to recent
improvements in explosive performance, recent improvements in explosive performance
and reactive material casings. His technical accomplishments have a pronounced
effect in supporting the Command's mission and advancing metal combustion for
advanced weapons.
Ens. Robert B. Dashiell Award for Excellence recognizes
the employee, who, within the past year, has made a significant contribution to
the mission, and/or operation of NSWC IHEODTD. Joe Pastorious, Systems
Engineering Department, was recognized for leading two critical software
development roles. Due to Pastorious' technical competence and leadership, NSWC
IHEODTD was selected as the Software Support Activity for Joint Counter
Radio-Controlled IED Electronic Warfare (JCREW) Jammer. Pastorious also led a team in the
demonstration of an advanced fuzing algorithm for the Office of Naval
Research-funded Torpedo Common Hybrid Fuze System Future Naval Capability
effort. Pastorioius' leadership enabled demonstration of real-time, low-latency
advanced fuzing decision criteria in torpedo sea trials to address a critical
naval need.
NSWC IHEODTD - a field activity of the Naval Sea Systems
Command and part of the Navy's Science and Engineering Enterprise - is the
leader in ordnance, energetics, and EOD solutions. The Division focuses on energetics research,
development, testing, evaluation, in-service support, and disposal; and
provides warfighters solutions to detect, locate, access, identify, render
safe, recover, exploit, and dispose of explosive ordnance threats.