DAHLGREN,
Va. – Eighty-two individuals and 19 teams were honored with 21 different Navy
and Dahlgren Division awards as the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren
Division (NSWCDD) held its annual honor awards ceremony on May 18, 2016.
“Congratulations
to all of our honorary award winners,” NSWCDD Commanding Officer Capt. Brian
Durant told an audience encompassing military, government civilian, and defense
contractors at the University of Mary Washington Dahlgren campus. “Thank you
for contributing to such a banner year of accomplishments for NSWC Dahlgren
Division.”
The
annual ceremony honors the men and women of the NSWCDD workforce who
demonstrated exceptional resolve to meet the command’s mission objectives in
addition to those who significantly impacted the community through volunteer
service.
“It is
also important to recognize our awardees’ families and co-workers, who are
partners in the career successes we celebrated today,” Durant wrote in the
Annual Honorary Awards Ceremony program. “To the spouses, children, parents,
and friends – thank you for your patience and understanding when long hours and
extended travel were necessary.”
Laura
DeSimone – Director for Acquisition for the Missile Defense Agency and previous
NSWCDD employee – spoke to a Dahlgren audience for the first time as a keynote
speaker.
“I
always introduce myself as a Dahlgren engineer first. It definitely has been
the foundation of my career,” said DeSimone. “What I learned at Dahlgren was
the role of the civil service. The important role that we play with the DoD (Department
of Defense) in the development of weapons, in the concept development of weapons,
in the assessment of weapons, in the testing of weapons, and the safe fielding
and employment of weapons.”
As a
Dahlgren engineer for 18 years, DeSimone helped carry out NSWCDD's mission to
provide research, development, test and evaluation, analysis, systems
engineering, integration and certification of complex naval warfare systems
related to surface warfare, strategic systems, combat and weapons systems
associated with surface warfare. The command also provides system integration
and certification for weapons, combat systems and warfare systems and fulfills other
responsibilities assigned by the NSWC commander.
“I’m
watching all of your achievements and contributions from afar,” said DeSimone,
regarding workforce efforts in support of the command’s mission, while pointing
out that several awards presented at the ceremony represented achievements in
the Missile Defense Agency group.
“There
are new challenges that face us in cybersecurity; the increased complexity of
the integration of systems, and systems of systems; and directed energy weapons,”
she projected. “I see Dahlgren at the forefront of solving all these problems.
You have my extreme admiration for the work that you do now, and the work that
you’ll continue to do in the future.”
Families
and co-workers watched as awardees were honored at the morning individual
awards and afternoon group awards sessions.
Navy Superior Civilian Service Award
Michael
Pompeii received the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award. The honor recognizes
employee contributions that are exceptionally high in value, but affect a
smaller area than the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award and are more
significant than those for which the award of the Navy Meritorious Civilian
Service Award is made. The Superior Civilian Service Award may be awarded for
contributions that serve as a model for other commands.
Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award
Ten
NSWCDD employees were presented with the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service
Award – Shellie Clift, John Kaelin, John Allwine, Larry Swinford, Todd Fairfax,
Charles Lansing, Eric Laxton, Doyle Green, Michael Dossett, and Jerico Slavin.
The
third highest Navy civilian award honors civilian employees supporting the
Department of the Navy for meritorious service or contributions resulting in
high value or benefits for the Navy or the Marine Corps. It was established to
recognize those individuals whose leadership or important contributions to
major projects of the Navy have demonstrated outstanding achievement.
John Adolphus Dahlgren Award
The
John Adolphus Dahlgren Award, the command's highest award, was presented to Donald
Burnett and Barry Mohle.
The Dahlgren
Award is named for Rear Adm. John A. Dahlgren – who is considered the
"Father of Modern Naval Ordnance" - and honors individuals with
significant achievement in science, engineering or management.
C.J. Rorie Award
Fire
Controlman 1st Class Lloyd Bartlett received the C.J. Rorie Award, established
to recognize military personnel assigned to NSWCDD whose excellence in the
performance of their duties contributed significantly to the effectiveness of
the Division's military operation.
Dr. James E. Colvard Award
Three
employees – Kimberley Payne, James Mims, and William Houchins – received the
Dr. James E. Colvard Award in recognition of their leadership and substantial
contributions to the development of NSWCDD as a technical institution.
Bernard Smith Award
Two
Dahlgren employees – Robert DaSilva and Benjamin Tritt – were recognized with
the Bernard Smith Award, established to recognize individuals with exceptional,
significant and technical contributions in engineering or science, especially
those made in the face of unusual odds or significant opposition.
Helen Springer Award
Three
employees received the Helen Springer Award – Gregory Johnson, Candice Thomas, and
Meghan Stoltzfus – which recognizes individuals who have made a notable and
significant impact to business operations at NSWCDD. The award was named in
honor of Helen Springer, a former NSWCDD Deputy Human Resources Director who
was instrumental in transforming business operations at Dahlgren from a
paper-based system to an electronic environment.
Walter T. Lewis Acquisition Award
Joel
Walor received the Walter T. Lewis Acquisition Award in recognition of their
demonstration of the key tenets of teamwork, integrity and accountability in
the achievement of acquisition excellence in support of the NSWCDD Mission.
This award is named in honor of Walter T. Lewis who was the command’s first
civilian contracting officer with unlimited contracting officer authority, the
first small business specialist, the first competition advocate, and the first
deputy for procurement serving as the NSWCDD acquisition expert.
Leadership Award
Four
employees – Ronald Flatley, Camille Ward, Traver Sutton, and Robyn Ryan – were
honored with the Leadership Award – established to recognize individuals who
have made a notable and significant impact to NSWCDD through their outstanding
performance in project leadership, line management or both.
Employee Development Award
The Employee
Development Award was established to recognize those individuals who – through
their leadership and commitment – have made exemplary contributions to the
development of others.
Audrey
Lohr, Michael Wehrle, and Dwayne Craft received the award for their impact as
role models who created a positive and supportive work environment for
continuous employee development, building employee commitment to the
organization and its core values, while fostering employee motivation and
overall well-being.
Commander’s Diversity and Inclusion Award
Julie
Heflin, James Yee, Tara Lalonde, and Cornealius Flakes, received the
Commander’s Diversity and Inclusion Award for their continuing contributions in
management and leadership while demonstrating commitment to policies and
programs that promote equality, diversity and inclusion in the federal
workplace.
Technology to Warfighter Award
Richard
Hodge, Paul Brastrom, and David Hurley received the Technology to Warfighter
Award for his direct and significant impact on the warfighter by developing
needed capability and transitioning it into operations.
Dr. Charles J. Cohen Award of Excellence for
Science and Technology
Two
employees – David Marchette and David Hubble – received the Dr. Charles J.
Cohen Award of Excellence for Science and Technology. The award recognizes
those who fundamentally impact science or technology with work that also
measurably impacts capability.
NSWCDD Award of Excellence for Analysis
The
NSWCDD Award of Excellence for Analysis is newly established to recognize
individuals who have made a notable and significant impact to NSWCDD through their
outstanding performance in analysis - warfare, design, engineering, modeling
and simulation.
Five
employees – Rolando Pancotti, William Kenney, Kelley Weiland, Jang Park, and
Jonathan Brown – received this award for performance or achievements that are
exceptional in nature and have resulted in a significant organizational
contribution.
NSWCDD Award of Excellence for Software
Engineering and Integration
The
NSWCDD Award of Excellence for Software Engineering and Integration was
established to recognize individuals who have made a notable and significant
impact to NSWCDD through their outstanding performance in Software Engineering
& Integration.
Six
employees – Hunter Delano, Jason Field, Aaron Cox, Teresa Berra, Larry
Fontenot, and Jonathan Higgins – received this award which honors individuals
with performance or achievements that are exceptional in nature and have
resulted in a significant organizational contribution.
NSWCDD Award of Excellence for Systems
Engineering and Integration
The
Award of Excellence for Systems Engineering and Integration was established to
recognize individuals who have made a notable and significant impact to NSWCDD
through their outstanding performance in systems engineering and integration.
Franklin
Sharer, Jennifer Roames, Kenneth Wallace, Donald Engel, and Michael Blum were
honored this year for performance or achievements that are exceptional in
nature, resulting in a significant organizational contribution.
NSWCDD Award of Excellence for Test and
Evaluation
The
NSWCDD Award of Excellence for Test & Evaluation was established to
recognize individuals who have made a notable and significant impact to NSWCDD
through their outstanding performance in Test and Evaluation, the collection,
analysis, and assessment of data to characterize and/or measure the performance
of a component, system, platform, or mission.
Six
employees – Dawn Semich, Michael Slocum, Traci Walder, Janice Sullivan, Jamie
Kempf, and Michael Jacovelli – received this award which recognizes individuals
with performance or achievements that are exceptional in nature and have
resulted in a significant organizational contribution.
Paul J. Martini Award
Thirteen
employees received the Paul J. Martini Award – established to recognize
individuals who demonstrated excellence in an administrative or other support
function. The award is named in honor of Paul J. Martini, who was head of the
Engineering Support Directorate of the Naval Ordnance Laboratory from November
1951 to December 1973. Receiving the award were: Amy Dunaway, Amy Hennessey,
Kimberly Carter, James Doerr, Alisa Dyson, Danniele Hawkins, Amy Settle,
Suzanne Stuczynski, Mitchel Laubach, Shannon Layton, Stacey Woodard, Bridget
Polan, and Natalie Allard.
Distinguished Community Service Award
Stephen
Hagewood, Patrick Cantwell, Michael Young, Rebecca Banks, Larry Mangold, and
Joseph Stefonowich received the Distinguished Community Service Award in
recognition of their significant contributions to communities through volunteer
service.
In-house Laboratory Independent Research
Excellence Award
Pearl
Rayms-Keller and Kevin Boulais received the In-house Laboratory Independent
Research Excellence Award which is granted to an individual or group whose
research results exhibit outstanding technical or scientific merit – relevant
to the mission and thrusts of NSWCDD.
Group Achievement Awards
Twelve
groups of NSWCDD employees received the Award of Merit for Group Achievement; seven
groups received the Technology to Warfighter Award for their accomplishments
during 2015. The group awards are intended to promote the spirit of teamwork
among employees and recognize group effort where cooperation has contributed to
the success of the group.
The
following groups received the Award of Merit for Group Achievement:
-
AEGIS
Ashore Romania E3 Team
-
AEGIS
Baseline 9 Team
-
Combat
System Power System Interface in Support of Electric Weapons Team
-
CV
MV-22 Weaponization Trade Study and Mission Technical Baseline Team
-
Explosives
Safety Group
-
Hypervelocity
Projectile Aerothermal Team
-
Joint
Biological Agent Decontamination System Team
-
Littoral
Combat Ship Cybersecurity Team
-
Navy
Chemical, Biological, Radiological & Nuclear Defense Acquisition Team
-
R23
Distributed Training Branch – Joint Information Operations Range
-
Targeting
Message Media Maker Scrum Team
-
Triton
Fury Team
Technology to the Warfighter Award
The
Technology to the Warfighter Award recognizes individuals or groups who have
had a notable and significant impact on the warfighter by developing needed
capability and transitioning it into operations. The intent of this award is to
recognize direct contributions to the warfighter and their operational impact.
The
following groups received the award:
-
105mm
Gun Weapon System Productionalization Team
-
Fire
Support Systems Safety Team
-
Gun
Weapon System MK 34 Gun Computer System MK 160 Mod 14 16 Development Team
-
MK
53 Decoy Launching System (Nulka) Development Team
-
Portable
Situational Awareness Manager Development Team
-
R23
Distributed Training Branch, Knowledge Online Group
-
Scout
Master Team