DAHLGREN, Va. — Ninety-two individuals and 16 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, May 17.
Family and friends of awardees watched Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) and Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Executive Director Donald McCormack present the awards with NSWCDD Commanding Officer Capt. Godfrey 'Gus' Weekes and NSWCDD Technical Director John Fiore while the event was livestreamed on the command's Facebook page.
"The award narratives bolstered the confidence I have that the warfare centers are intellectually prepared to meet any challenge," McCormack told a packed audience at the University of Mary Washington Dahlgren campus auditorium. "Dahlgren is poised to help the Navy accept the technical direction of today's Navy, tomorrow's Navy and the Navy after next."
McCormack leads more than 20,000 civilian scientists, engineers, technicians and support personnel — based at nine NSWC and NUWC divisions across the country — who perform research, development, test, and evaluation for the future Navy in addition to in-service engineering and logistics support for the operating fleet.
"Thank you for your skills and devotion to Dahlgren, to the warfare centers and our Navy," said McCormack. "We are one team, so as you celebrate your accomplishments today, please take a moment to pass along your thanks to everyone that helped you make today a reality, and of course that needs to start with your families."
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.
"They exemplified NSWC Dahlgren Division's spirit of innovation in keeping with our strategic vision — to be recognized as the technical leader in delivering innovative, affordable and effective solutions for the Navy and in support of joint and national initiatives," NSWCDD Commanding Officer Capt. Godfrey 'Gus' Weekes wrote in the Annual Honorary Awards Ceremony program. "It is also important to recognize our awardees' families and co-workers, who are partners in the professional successes we celebrate today. To the spouses, children, parents, and friends — thank you for your devotion and understanding as long hours and extended travel were necessary."
Weekes recounted the command's numerous accomplishments in 2016, citing examples of work vital to Navy technological programs and the development of new capabilities such as the virtual USS Dahlgren. The cybernetic ship coordinated an engagement with virtual and hardware representations of systems on the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) and USS Independence (LCS 2) last August. "The event occurred during live-fire destruction of surface threats, allowing NSWCDD to evaluate how multiple Navy assets can work together seamlessly at reduced cost," said Weekes, adding that the test was "a huge win for the Navy and warfighter."
NSWC Dahlgren Division's mission to the Navy and warfighter focuses on 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.
"You've been providing technical and business excellence for nearly a century, and we will be celebrating Dahlgren's 100th anniversary shortly," said McCormack, the event's keynote speaker. "One hundred years of providing research, development, test and evaluation, analysis, systems engineering, and so much more. One hundred years of innovation and stewarding the intellectual capital we need from testing guns on the range (Potomac River Test Range) to missiles and now to directed energy weapons, and of course the incredibly capable Aegis combat system. The history and collaboration of our warfare centers is important. History helps us learn lessons on collaboration to provide the best technological solutions — not just what we develop locally — and how working together (across warfare center divisions) makes us stronger."
Families and co-workers watched as awardees were honored at the morning individual awards and afternoon group awards sessions.
Navy Superior Civilian Service Award
Stephen Malyevac 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 —
Thomas Duval, Calvin Jones, Howard Kohl, Everett Wiles, Kathleen Jones, Randall Lasater, Ajoy Muralidhar, Benjamin McGlasson, Owen Seely and Howard Woodard.
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 Joseph Berenotto and Anthony D'Alessandro.
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
Lt. Cmdr. Wesley Simon 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
Five employees — Jeffrey Solka, Hamish Malin, James Jensen, Kevin Pitts, and Melissa Smith — 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
Three Dahlgren employees — Kevin Adams, David Mearns, and Carol Galloway — 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
Four employees received the Helen Springer Award — Yvonne Lewko, Kenneth Van Wyen, Daniel Cordes, and Lorna Tebrich — 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
Kristofer Parker and Amy Richards 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
Five employees — Darrell Craft, Kathleen Llacuna, Mary Collings, Vincent Vendetti, and Stacy Palivoda-Estes — 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.
Barbara Anthony, David Dooley, Tia Ward, and Anita Kirkland 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
Marcus Matthews, Michael Lukas and Rachael Lupro 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
Ralph Stewart 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 — Robert Pawlak and Eric Schroeder — 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 — Edward Cerasuolo, Timothy Bauer, Jordan Chaparro, Bryan Knott and Carly Torisky — 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.
Seven employees — Sean McCready, Adam Moyers, Gerald Boynton, Marc Santoro, Stanley Fissel, Garnett Yeatts and Douglas Haas — 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.
Jonathan Alty, Stephen Hagewood, George Wiles, Jessica DiFilippo, John Gaffé, John Phillips, James Rushton and Karen Shuttleworth 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.
Seven employees — Angela Mejeur, Carl Hager, Victor Wiss, Andrew Green, Christopher Shoaf, Harold Umberger and Todd Damon — 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
Fifteen 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: Thomas Mann, Elizabeth Mundy, Theresa Ashton-Moore, Patricia Honosky, Jason Simpson, Mary Coffey, Jeffrey Hughes, Brandy Plucker, Shawn Richey, Ryan Zavitz, Paul Sparks, Marvin Hanks, Brittany Haga, Wendy Hornbaker and Jessica Williamson.
Distinguished Community Service Award
Brian Cusick, Rose Hayden, Thane Everett, Serita Seright, Matthew Page and Marin Kobin received the Distinguished Community Service Award in recognition of their significant contributions to communities through volunteer service.
In-house Laboratory Independent Research Excellence Award
Allen Parks 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:
*Collective Protection System Variable Speed Drive Team
*Ground Based Air Defense On the Move Team
*Joint AEGIS Advanced Capability Build 20 Ballistic Missile Defense 6.0 Team
*Joint Service and Underwater Explosive Ordnance Disposal Cyber Team
*Littoral Combat Ship Surface Warfare Command and Control Software Development Team
*Railgun Team
*Research Development Test and Evaluation Network Team
*Shipboard Fiber Optics Team
*Special Programs Security and Information Technology Team
*Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile Fratricide Re-Characterization Team
*USS Dahlgren 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:
*AEGIS Ashore Romania Engineering Team
*Identity Dominance Team
*Maritime Improvised Explosive Device Investigation (MIEDI) Fleet Experimentation Team
*Distributed Training Branch, Environment Development Group
*SPY Sliderule Team