WASHINGTON - William Houchins, senior technical leader in the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) Test and Evaluation Division, was honored with the prestigious 2015 Department of the Navy Test and Evaluation Lifetime Achievement Award at a recent ceremony, Navy officials announced Aug. 15.
DoN Test and Evaluation executives Rear Adm. Mat Winter and Carroll Quade recognized Houchins for advancing the competency, ingenuity and effectiveness of the Navy's test and evaluation community for more than 35 years.
"His outstanding scientific and engineering contributions in the areas of insensitive munitions, test planning and protocol development, fragmentation characterization, data reduction and employee development are unparalleled," stated Winter and Quade in a congratulatory letter. "His sustained leadership and direction were instrumental in transforming the Dahlgren Test and Evaluation Division into a recognized leader in test and evaluation of explosive ordnance."
The award recognizes a military or government civilian member of the test and evaluation workforce who has committed their career to providing outstanding contributions to their organization and test and evaluation community at large.
Over the years, national and international test and evaluation communities - including the Department of Defense Explosives Safety Board, Weapons Systems Explosive Safety Review Board, and Australian Ordnance Council - specifically requested Houchins' service. The requests for his experience and expertise eventually led Houchins to serve as the Chairman of the Munitions Reaction Evaluation Board.
"His legacy will have lasting impacts on the greater (Naval Sea Systems Command) test and evaluation community, ensuring the development of exceptionally talented test and evaluation leaders and sustaining efficient, superior test methods and protocols," added Winters and Quade.
The primary evaluation factors for selecting the DoN Test and Evaluation Lifetime Achievement Award recipient are:
- The nominee has dedicated a significant proportion of their career endeavors to further test and evaluation in the Navy with sustained excellence and leadership.
- The nominee's impact to the DON Test and Evaluation community has been significant and serves as a guiding force with lasting significance.
- The nominee has defined and implemented test and evaluation best practices and processes, innovative solutions, and their efforts have improved test and evaluation effectiveness and efficiency of efforts for the program areas they impact.
Navy military and government civilian test and evaluation workforce members who have dedicated their career to superior achievement in test and evaluation are eligible for the award.