JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. — The Support Equipment (SE) and Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) Department (AIR 4.8) presented its inaugural AIR 4.8 awards to winners at a ceremony on April 15 at NAVAIR’s Lakehurst site and made available via video teleconference to AIR 4.8’s other locations.

“The Command is always saying… people are the most important aspect (of the NAVAIR organization) and I wanted to be able to show that,” said Kathleen Donnelly, AIR 4.8 Director and Senior Executive Service member (SES), during her opening remarks.

Donnelly presented three awards —SE Employee of the Year, ALRE Employee of the Year and Supervisor of the Year —to the winners.

John Peterson (not present for the ceremony), a lead armament and weapons SE design engineer for the Airborne Weapons SE Branch, won SE Employee of the Year. Anthony Rosso, the hardware team lead for the Aviation Data Management and Control System and a senior Subject Matter Expert for shipboard installation of mechanical systems in the Information Systems Branch, won ALRE Employee of the Year. Jack Martenak, head of the SE Engineering Division, won Supervisor of the Year.

Each winner received a cash award, paid time-off, a certificate, an AIR 4.8 keepsake coin, a signed letter by Donnelly and their name on a plaque to be displayed at NAVAIR Lakehurst.

Additional nominees included William Darling, Kristen Hawkes, Guy Newton, Joe Pacella, Brad Smith, and Jason Bell. The AIR 4.8 Awards comprise a total of six categories including the aforementioned as well as New Employee of the Year, Sailor/Marine of the Year and Innovator of the Year. The remaining three awards will be presented at a separate ceremony currently slated for June.