KING GEORGE, Va. - Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren
Division (NSWCDD) Systems Safety Engineering Division personnel - known as the
"Mud Crazy G70 Team" - ran a challenging four mile-long obstacle
course, raising funds for local children, families and residents June 27.
The ten mud runners - comprised of scientists, engineers,
and administrative professionals - were among 120 competitors, ranging in age
from 4 to 67 who overcame a myriad of obstacles in the third annual Dirty Lion
Four-Mile and One-Mile Leo Mud Run.
"Our goal was to run as a team, supporting each
other through various obstacles and victoriously complete the course as a
team," said Steve Boscovitch, NSWCDD systems safety engineer. "We put
personal accomplishments aside and put team esprit de corps first. Our next
goal is to grow the team and family participation in support of the Dirty Lion
Mud Run and the Dahlgren Lions Club."
What's more, the team - Samantha Alty, Susan Berry,
Rebecca Funkhouser, Nancy Hanrahan, Robert Heflin, Tammy Indseth, Tiffany
Johnson, Melissa Lederer, Nick Scarabello and Boscovitch - asserts that their
team building and group cohesion skills were enhanced at the event.
As competitors, they ran, climbed and crawled their way
through at least 15 obstacles - featuring farm gates, muddy creek crossings,
trenches, retaining walls, a tire run, a tire climb, and two mud pits filled
with ice cold water - on a rugged motocross trail through wooded terrain. They
also ran through a wetland with their feet and ankles sinking into the marsh.
Eventually, the competitors jumped into the Potomac River before dashing toward
the finish line.
"It was the most refreshing and rewarding way
possible to raise funds in support of scholarships for local children and
emergency assistance for local families," said Boscovitch. "The money
raised also provides vision tests and eye glasses in addition to hearing tests
and hearing aids for those in need in our community."
In all, the NSWCDD Systems Safety Engineering Division
team won four event medals, including second place overall, second place for
women ages 50-59, third place for women ages 50-59, and third place for women
ages 40-49.
While on the job supporting the Fleet, the team works to
protect U.S. Navy personnel by ensuring safety requirements are integrated into
combat systems on warships. The team's system safety scientists and engineers
ensure naval guns, ammunition, and gun barrels headed for the Fleet are safe
and effective. Moreover, they oversee the safe development and testing of new
weapons from the electromagnetic railgun to the laser weapons system, and the
testing of new types of ammunition, such as reactive materials.