Vice Adm. David Venlet honored hundreds of Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) personnel during the June 18 presentation of the ninth annual NAVAIR Commander’s National Awards recognizing outstanding and effective teamwork.

Venlet hosted the ceremony from NAVAIR headquarters at Patuxent River, Md. Appearing with him at the podium were Rear Adm. Donald Gaddis, Commander, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, and Rear Adm. Paul Grosklags, Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers.

Captain Mark Storch, Acting Commander of Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, participated via video teleconference (VTC) from Pt. Mugu, Calif. Other NAVAIR sites around the country also joined the ceremony through VTC. NAVAIR Command Master Chief Lloyd Long served as master of ceremonies.

In his introductory remarks, Venlet told the audience that “The work we do today in support of freedom cannot be done alone. It must happen through teamwork.”

He noted that NAVAIR’s accomplishments all begin with “the precious alloy of our military, civilian and contractor team. Every day you pour your skills, talents and dedication into the mold that makes reliability and capability for our Sailors and Marines.”

Venlet presented NAVAIR Commander’s awards in six categories: business operations; logistics and industrial; program management; quality of service; research, development, test and evaluation; and science and technology. The winners were:

Business Operations - PMA-275 V-22 Future Capabilities Team. The Team’s efforts over the past year focused on identifying, developing and implementing an unfunded roadmap process that controls, validates, and approves a fiscally responsible investment strategy to balance current readiness degraders with future capability upgrades.

The process developed by the team is now a PEO(A) standard business practice that will produce well understood, validated and approved requirements that are appropriately funded with a vetted plan to produce safe, reliable and effective weapon systems.

Logistics and industrial - USMC Reset Project Office. The office planned, developed, and executed an acquisition effort that resulted in the award of four contracts to perform all USMC Reset events globally. The contracts replaced 18 different Fleet-managed contracts and will provide improved readiness through standardized requirements, reduced squadron level maintenance workload, and improved aircraft material condition.

The Office also simultaneously developed an aircraft readiness condition inspection and Depot pre-induction inspection for all USMC aircraft, enabling the Fleet to more accurately understand the readiness condition of their aircraft.

Program management - P-3/EP-3 Airframe Sustainment Team. Following the discovery of a serious structural issue with the P-3’s aft lower wing section, the team developed an innovative plan of action to address complex P-3 availability issues and minimize impact to the warfighter. The team quickly obtained approval of a mitigation strategy and secured funding so that the first of the grounded aircraft could be repaired and returned to the Fleet within a year.

Quality of Service - Electronic Warfare Database Support (EDWS) Team. The team implemented process improvement changes to become certified by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at the Capability Maturity Model Improvement Level 3, completed two AIRSpeed projects and adapted the processes to the data fusion process without compromising the operational tempo driven by conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
EWDS Analysts also reprogrammed and updated 152 emitters as electronic intelligence was collected and provided by agencies and supplied Subject Matter Experts (SME) to the Electronic Attack Weapons School to teach weapons optimization.

Research, Development, Test and Evaluation - Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft Acoustic Commonality (ACT) Team (ACT). The ACT Team used an open systems architecture to facilitate information sharing to support and prioritize common capabilities including Common Acoustic Software Baseline for the P-3C and incorporation into the P-8A baseline. The team incorporated and transitioned Multi-Static Active Capability Enhancement (MACE) algorithms to Fleet Operators, who now have greater knowledge and confidence to identify and classify time-critical targets, significantly enhancing the Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capability.

Science and technology - the Training & Usability in Simulation-based Tools (TRUST) Team. The team developed and transitioned a modular suite of software tools from S&T into the training systems/simulation acquisition pipeline. The tools address the entire training evolution from scenario development to debriefing. Their instructional subsystem federation software tools are already in use in the MH-60R/S Tactical Operational Flight Trainer, P-3 Aircrew Tactical Team Trainer (PACT3), Deployable Virtual Training Environment (DVTE) and the Multipurpose Supporting Arms Trainer (MSAT).

During the ceremony, Vice Adm. Venlet also presented two Edward F. Heinemann awards from the Association of Naval Aviation and the T. Michael Fish quality of worklife award.

The Heinemann team award went to the Department of the Navy Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures – (DON LAIRCM) - team for supporting the DoN and Marine Corps in taking the countermeasure system from design to early deployment in only 18 months. The team also ensured that the system can enter full rate production at an affordable cost and be logistically sustained and readily certified on other tactical platforms.

The Heinemann individual award went to Gerard F. Drake. He analyzed a series of refueling mishaps with the KC-130J tanker, identified the cause as a problem with hose-reel equipment and developed a solution that eliminated the problem.

The T. Michael Fish award was presented to Thomas G. Rudowsky for, among other accomplishments, empowering his employees to think and act on behalf of the customer and to use their initiative to develop new opportunities.

For more information about the NAVAIR Commander’s Awards, contact the NAVAIR Total Force Strategy and Management Dept. (7.3) awards coordinator, (301) 757-7813.

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Ninth Annual Commander’s Awards ceremony opens with presentation of the colors. Norman Bailey at podium sings the national anthem. Behind him are (L-R) Rear Adm. Paul Grosklags, Rear Adm. Donald Gaddis and Vice Adm. David Venlet, NAVAIR Commander. At floor podium on right is master of ceremonies, NAVAIR Command Master Chief (AW/SW) Lloyd W. Long.

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Business Operations Award: PMA-275 V-22 Future Capabilities team. (Front L-R) Kirk Kessler, Kevin Switick, Tom Spidel, Col. Tarek Abboushi, Vice Adm. Venlet (Back, L-R) Donald Ingram, William Buchanan

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Logistics and Industrial Award: USMC Reset Project Office. (Front L-R) Todd Mellon, Dave Swanson, Maggie Hayden-Stone, Sabrina Martin, Kay Handy, Michelle Reed, Michelle Guy, Roy Simmons, Joan Riley. (Back L-R) Bob Parker, Vice Adm. Venlet, Bob Campbell, Jerry Brown, John Eger, Rear Adm. Grosklags, Lt. Col. Rich Bomhold

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Lt. Col. Bomhold thanks RESET Project Office members for their contributions to the winning effort.

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Program Management Award: P-3/EP-3 Airframe Sustainment Team. (Front L-R) Kristine Wilcox, Debra McCurdy, Cindy Norris, Margery Hoffman, Ava Chandler, Vice Adm. Venlet. (Back L-R) Capt. Moran, Jeff Richards, John Rauch, Kyle Richmond

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Quality of Service Award: Electronic Warfare Database Support (EWDS) Team. (L-R) Vice Adm. Venlet, Anna Tchoubineh, Robert Winslow, William Bland, Scott Burkholder, Quang Nyugen

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Research, Development, Test & Evaluation Award: Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft Acoustic Commonality (ACT) Team. (Front L-R) Daniel Flynn, Dennis Depriest, Kathy Cooke, Thomas Kreppel, Randall Mosten, Jack Supp. (Back L-R) Cmdr. Jeffrey Carty, Phillip Morgan, David Dietzen, Capt. Michael Moran

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Science & Technology Award: Training & Usability in Simulation-based Tools (TRUST) Team – (L-R) Danielle C. Merket, Beth Wheeler Atkinson, Melissa M. Walwanis Nelson

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Edward H. Heinemann Award for Outstanding Achievement: DON LAIRCM Team, PMA-272: (L-R) Greg Thomas, Tuan Nguyen, Glen Marshall, Nancy Van Deven, Rosalind Woolbright, Ed Chermanski, Lt. Cmdr. Eric Naley, Matt Lehtonen, Lt. Col. Dave Dowling, Capt. Paul Overstreet, Dan Johnson, Mark Converse, Dennis King, John Sadler, Ed Weisser, Maureen Forbes, Capt. Bill Chubb, Ronnie Johnston, Jennifer Milan, Dan Gentry, Vice Adm. Venlet

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Edward H. Heinemann Award for Outstanding Achievement: (L-R) Mark Converse, Association of Naval Aviation, the organization presenting the award, Gerard F. Drake, Vice Adm. Venlet.

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T. Michael Fish Award for NAVAIR Quality of Worklife. (L-R) T. Michael Fish, Thomas G. Rudowsky, Vice Adm. Venlet. (All photos: Rich Roys)