Once again this year, Naval Air Engineering Station (NAES) Lakehurst has been recognized for its outstanding Safety Program. The Secretary of the Navy has chosen Lakehurst to receive the Safety Excellence Award for overall quality of its occupational safety and health programs for Safety Ashore industrial activities in the United States.

This award gives Lakehurst a “triple crown” in safety awards. According to CAPT Bret Gordon, Commanding Officer for NAES Lakehurst, “this marks the first time we have earned the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Safety Achievement Award, the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Safety Achievement Award and now the Department of the Navy Safety Excellence Award. It is testament to the seriousness and attention we give to safety throughout the base and to the effectiveness of our safety programs through the implementation of sound Operational Risk Management (ORM) principals.”

The Secretary of the Navy established the Safety Excellence Award program to personally recognize Navy and Marine Corps commands that have demonstrated exceptional operational excellence by sustained mission success with simultaneous exemplary safety performance. The Award promotes excellence in mission readiness by mishap and hazard reduction and helps foster a sound safety culture throughout the Navy.

“For Lakehurst to be selected for this award, we competed against all other previous SECNAV Safety Achievement Award winners in the industrial category,” according to Gordon.

An award ceremony is scheduled for October 4, 2005 in Washington DC and will be hosted by the Secretary of the Navy. Along with a plaque and award letter, Lakehurst will be presented with the Secretary of the Navy Safety Flag that may be flown over the base for a period of one year.