Hundreds of Naval Air Systems Command employees were honored by NAVAIR Commander Vice Adm. David Architzel during the 11th annual NAVAIR Commander’s National Awards ceremony June 22. The honorary team awards recognize technical, business and leadership excellence.
The ceremony was held at NAVAIR headquarters in Patuxent River, Md., and broadcasted via video teleconference to all sites. Architzel, who hosted the ceremony, was joined by Rear Adm. Paul Grosklags, vice commander, NAVAIR; Rear Adm. Randy Mahr, assistant commander for Research and Engineering; Rear Adm. Thomas Matthews, commander, Fleet Readiness Centers; and Rear Adm. Mathias Winter, assistant commander for Test and Evaluation.
In his opening remarks, Architzel reminded the audience to think of NAVAIR as “the face of naval aviation.”
“Our connection to the fleet is real,” Architzel said. “And what we do is important and has consequences. Our Sailors and Marines rely on our technical, business, and leadership excellence to sustain and deliver the products they need to achieve mission success. Always remember that.”
Architzel presented the six NAVAIR Commander’s awards acknowledging achievement in business operations; quality of service and customer service; logistics and industrial operations; program management; research, development, test and evaluation; and science and technology.
And the winners are, by category:
Business Operations – Security Operations Team. The team developed major technology-based aids streamlining the delivery of mission-critical products and services such as security classification guides, critical program information surveys, personnel security clearances and Outside the Continental United States traveler location.
Mission support was appreciably improved while reducing costs to the naval aviation enterprise with the simultaneous deployment of metrics-based analytic tools, which assess organization compliance in the areas of personnel security clearances, classification management and technology protection.
Quality of Service and Customer Service – P-3 Orion Team. Leadership, dedication, responsiveness, and superb communication with the fleet customer helped overcome significant challenges presented by aging aircraft.
The team also made it possible to deliver improved training and more reliable anti-submarine warfare mission system capabilities back to P-3 squadrons around the globe. The successes of the team enabled the fleet to deploy more aircraft forward to meet combatant commanders’ requirements and directly influenced the CNO’s decision to restore two patrol squadrons that had been marked for deactivation because of budgetary constraints.
Logistics and Industrial Operations – PMA-261 Logistics Team. The H-53 Heavy Lift Helicopter Program team led NAVAIR in achieving the Commander’s Guidance through affordable and supportable sustainment solutions for Heavy Lift by demonstrating leadership, innovation and best practices by improving operational support, reducing life-cycle cost reduction and achieving acquisition excellence.
Program Management – Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) Industrial Environmental Program Team. During the past 18 months, the team completed several sustainability and process improvement projects resulting in more than $1.8 million in cost avoidance.
Additionally, FRCSE reclaimed 13 EA-6B aircraft to provide $9 million in cost avoidance and recycled 30 tons of turbine blades containing rhenium to General Electric Company.
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation – AH-IZ Program Team. The AH-IZ program was on the verge of termination after an incomplete operational evaluat
