ALCOAST 397/19 - DEC 2019 WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT - 2019 NAVAL ENGINEERING AWARDS

R 230750 DEC 19
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-4//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N01650//
ALCOAST 397/19
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ:  WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT - 2019 NAVAL ENGINEERING AWARDS
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 271027 OCT 19/ALCOAST 332/19
1. In recognition of their outstanding contributions to the Naval Engineering program,
I am pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 Naval Engineering Awards. As in years past,
the quality of candidates was incredible and highlighted how the Naval Engineering workforce is
vital to directly support the Coast Guard’s ability to conduct surface operations. Leadership,
technical proficiency, initiative, supporting operational readiness, and professional
development of Naval Engineers were all clearly evident throughout the submissions.
    a. RICHARD D. POORE AWARD – CDR Jeffrey Payne, Surface Forces Logistics Center – Patrol Boat
Product Line Manager. As the Patrol Boat Product Line Manager, CDR Payne supported the Coast
Guard’s entire fleet of 128 patrol boats, led a team of 110 engineers and logisticians,
executed $100 million in annual maintenance funding, and drove enterprise level improvements
across the entire mission support organization. CDR Payne reinvigorated the 87-foot Coastal
Patrol Boat Recurring Depot Availability Program by implementing new policy and processes
designed to reduce schedule risk and improve cutter crew preparation and stakeholder
involvement. This proactive action ensured the recurring benefit of this program was captured
within Coast Guard policy and resulted in the programs expansion to the 154-foot Sentinel Class
Patrol Boat (WPC) fleet. A visionary leader and engineer, CDR Payne designed and spearheaded
the implementation of the Operationally-Driven Maintenance Scheduling Program for the 154-foot
WPC fleet, which overcame sustainment and workforce shortfalls via the utilization of an
innovative maintenance delivery system of smaller and more frequent maintenance projects
scheduled between operational deployments. This revolutionary process increased operational
availability rates by 20% and returned 14 operational days per cutter back to the operational
commander. Demonstrating an unwavering commitment to the professional development of engineers,
CDR Payne directly mentored 26 junior naval engineers through biweekly training events and the
extensive four week Port Engineer course.
    b. PERRY AWARD (Afloat) – MKC Grant Tucciarone, CGC SANIBEL (WPB 1312) Engineer Petty
Officer. Demonstrating exceptional drive, technical ability, leadership, and command presence
MKC Tucciarone led a complete turnaround of CGC SANIBEL’s engineering department. A devoted
and inclusive “servant” leader, MKC Tucciarone empowered the entire command to relentlessly
document material discrepancies, partner with enterprise level shore-side support teams, and
embrace a “total ownership” maintenance philosophy to improve the execution of all cutter
maintenance practices. This impressive and holistic effort led to a 1,600% increase in
operational readiness and marked the first time CGC SANIBEL met all Coast Guard operational
hour requirements in over four years. Displaying a dedicated commitment to increasing fleet
wide readiness and capabilities, MKC Tucciarone partnered with the Coast Guard Research and
Design Center and Office of Aviation Forces to earn his Federal Aviation Administration drone
operator’s pilot’s license and remote pilot operator certification to facilitate the design,
testing, and integration of advance prototype systems that will dramatically increase Coast
Guard operational capabilities. Demonstrating a relentless and selfless commitment to personnel
development, his efforts directly contributed to significant CGC SANIBEL crewmember recognition
to include Sector Enlisted Person of the Year award, District One Boarding Officer of the Year
award, and District One Collateral Duty Intelligence Officer of the Year award.
    c. PERRY AWARD (Ashore) – LCDR Kevin Koski, Surface Forces Logistics Center – Medium
Endurance Cutter Product Line Engineering Branch Chief. Demonstrating exceptional technical
ability, leadership, and vision LCDR Koski led a geographically distributed team of 43 systems
engineers, technical warrant holders, and casualty responders who managed and executed in
excess of $2 million in emergency maintenance and engineering policy for the Coast Guard’s
entire fleet of 27 Medium Endurance cutters. When CGC HARRIET LANE sustained significant
mission limiting damage to her port propeller, LCDR Koski displayed an incredible mastery of
naval engineering principles and gritty ingenuity to develop an emergency in-water repair plan
to trim and balance the propeller blades. Following the universal success of this temporary
repair, LCDR Koski expanded the scope of the repair and devised a plan to complete a permanent
in-water propeller replacement (a first for the 270-foot Medium Endurance cutter fleet), which
saved the Coast Guard $400,000 in depot maintenance costs and informed fleet wide improvements
to Coast Guard in service vessel sustainment practices. A consummate team player, LCDR Koski
worked tirelessly to collaborate with community partners within the Cyber and Information
Technology domains, Coast Guard Headquarters, fellow Product Lines, and industry stakeholders
to develop and deploy an entirely new methodology for field level sustainment that embraced a
three-tiered approach of optimizing the distribution of maintenance, parts, and tools to forward
deployed assets.
    d. STABILE AWARD – CWO Brad Jopling, CGC POLAR STAR (WAGB 10) Main Propulsion Assistant.
Demonstrating exceptional technical acumen, leadership, and mentoring abilities, CWO Jopling
kept the Coast Guard’s most complex engineering plant and the nation’s only operational heavy
icebreaker fully mission capable during a period of over 250 days away from home port,
transiting a distance of 22,000 nautical miles, and two $9 million dry-dock maintenance periods.
Possessing a unique blend of technical excellence and project management skills, CWO Jopling
led the extensive $4.4 million upgrade to the cutter’s electrical plant control and monitoring
system, which modernized the engineering control processes for all propulsion generators. CWO
Jopling’s leadership and deep subject matter expertise during this project ensured all project
milestones were met and allowed the cutter to sail on-time for the 2019 Operation Deep-Freeze
deployment. Demonstrating extraordinary courage and poise during a high pressure operational
period, CWO Jopling engineered and installed an emergency repair to the cutter’s centerline
shaft seal. Entering chest deep into 28 degree water that was actively flooding the confined
compartment, CWO Jopling stopped the flow of water to allow sufficient time for the specialized
shaft sealant to cure allowing CGC POLAR STAR to continue the breakout and resupply of McMurdo
station in support of the U.S. Antarctic Program and Presidential mandate to sustain an active
and influential presence in this remote and nationally significant region.
    e. LUCAS PLAQUE (Afloat) - CGC JAMES (WMSL 754) Engineering Department. CGC JAMES
demonstrated an unwavering commitment to Coast Guard Naval Engineering, the highest levels of
technical competence, leadership, and innovation, and a singular focus on mission execution and
excellence. Maximizing the use of organic resources, CGC JAMES completed the largest ever unit-
led National Security Cutter main diesel engine repair after extensive damage was discovered
within the common exhaust manifold. Through this impressive “grass-roots” effort CGC JAMES
contributed 3,600 work hours and executed $694,000 in depot level repairs, which prevented the
loss of 36 operational days and led to the creation of improved fleet wide repair processes.
Displaying tremendous ingenuity, CGC JAMES applied fundamental naval engineering and
architectural ship design principles to develop an entirely new way to quickly survey and
inspect smuggling vessels to identify hidden compartments used for smuggling illegal contraband.
These groundbreaking methods produced immediate operational success with the seizure of 1,400
kilograms of cocaine and this new procedure became the standard used by the Joint Interagency
Task Force South to inform all counter-drug operations within the Eastern Pacific. Showcasing
the National Security Cutter’s operational capability, CGC JAMES engineers ensured no lost
operational days during multiple deployments allowing for the completion of a joint command and
interagency full-scale counter-weapon exercise with the Maritime Security Response Team and U.S.
Army Special Operations Air Regiment, the results of which have informed national level counter-
terrorist and counter-weapon strategic policy.
2. This year’s winners were selected from an impressive pool of nomination packages, proudly
submitted in recognition of superior Naval Engineering efforts. Many thanks to all who expended
the effort to highlight the nominees’ tremendous achievements for the Coast Guard and the Naval
Engineering program. The exceptional candidate pool included the following submittals
(in alphabetical order):
    a. Perry Award (Afloat)
       (1) LT Andrew Armstrong – CGC STEADFAST (WMEC 623)
       (2) LT Nathan Barnes – CGC ACTIVE (WMEC 618)
       (3) LT Gregory Bredariol – CGC RESOLUTE (WMEC 620)
       (4) CWO Daniel Doherty – CGC ESCANABA (WMEC 907)
       (5) LT Nathaniel Dufresne – CGC RELIANCE (WMEC 615)
       (6) LT Jason McLeod – CGC HARRIET LANE (WMEC 903)
       (7) LCDR Donald Stiker – CGC KIMBALL (WMSL 756)
    b. Stabile Award
       (1) MKC Brian Bonnette – CGC STRATTON (WMSL 752)
       (2) MKC Jacob Correia – Maintenance Augmentation Team (MAT), Sault Sainte Marie, MI
       (3) CWO Shawn Hansen – Surface Forces Logistics Center – Patrol Boat Product Line, Port
Engineer
       (4) CWO Steven Hevelingen – CGC HARRIET LANE (WMEC 903)
       (5) CWO Robert Holt – Surface Forces Logistics Center – Icebreaker, Buoy, and Construction
Tender Product Line, Port Engineer
       (6) CWO Keith Jarvis – Coast Guard Yard, Electronics Project Manager
       (7) CWO Benjamin Mills – CGC CONFIDENCE (WMEC 619)
    c. Lucas Plaque - Ashore. Surface Forces Logistics Center – Long Range Enforcer Product Line
recognized as the winner in REF (A).
       (1) Coast Guard Asset Project Office
       (2) Coast Guard Project Resident Office – Baltimore, MD
       (3) Coast Guard Project Resident Office – Gulf Coast
       (4) Coast Guard Base Miami Beach – Naval Engineering Department
       (5) Surface Forces Logistics Center – Patrol Boat Product Line
       (6) Commandant (CG-9326) – Polar Security Cutter Program Office
       (7) Coast Guard Base Portsmouth – Industrial Production Facility
       (8) Surface Forces Logistics Center – Coast Guard Yard
    d. Lucas Plaque - Afloat
       (1) CGC ACTIVE (WMEC 618)
       (2) CGC BEAR (WMEC 901)
       (3) CGC PAUL CLARK (WPC 1106) and CGC ROBERT YERED (WPC 1104)
       (4) CGC DAUNTLESS (WMEC 624)
       (5) CGC HAMILTON (WMSL 753)
       (6) CGC HARRIET LANE (WMSL 903)
       (7) CGC KIMBALL (WMSL 756)
       (8) CGC MAPLE (WLB 207)
       (9) CGC MELLON (WHEC 717)
       (10) CGC POLAR STAR (WAGB 10)
       (11) CGC RESOLUTE (WMEC 620)
       (12) CGC STEADFAST (WMEC 623)
       (13) CGC STRATTON (WMSL 752)
       (14) CGC THUNDER BAY (WTGB 108)
3. Questions regarding the Naval Engineering Awards may be directed to LCDR Jeff Zamarin,
COMDT (CG-452) at 202-475-5719 or via email at Jeffrey.S.Zamarin@uscg.mil.
4. RDML N. A. Moore, Assistant Commandant for Engineering and Logistics, sends.
5. Internet release is authorized.