ALCOAST 166/24 - APR 2024 2023 SOCIETY OF AMERICAN MILITARY ENGINEERS (SAME) AWARD WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT

R 101539Z APR 24   MID600117339991U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 166/24
SSIC 1650
SUBJ: 2023 SOCIETY OF AMERICAN MILITARY ENGINEERS (SAME) AWARD
WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT
1. Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 Society of American
Military Engineers (SAME) Awards for making outstanding
contributions to the Coast Guard (CG) Civil Engineering (CE) Program
and advancing the Civil Engineering Work Plan and objectives:
    a. The RADM Thomas Jones Excellence Award is awarded to Civil
Engineering Unit (CEU) Honolulu. CEU Honolulu has demonstrated
extraordinary commitment and service to the CE Program and the CG.
Despite operating with the smallest staff in the CEU enterprise,
this 14-member team directly facilitated operations and ensured the
health, safety, and well-being of CG members and their families
across an expansive geographic district spanning 14 million square
nautical miles. In 2023, CEU Honolulu accelerated project execution
rates, awarding a total of 20 projects valued at $15 million across
all accounts. This impressive achievement exceeded their approved
budget by $10 million, marking the highest funding level in the
unit's history. CEU Honolulu's ability to forge partnerships,
respond effectively to contingency events, and adapt to changing
conditions directly contributed to the CG's strategic goals in the
Indo-Pacific region. Their efforts align with the Commandant's
priorities to transform our total workforce, sharpen our
competitive edge, and advance mission excellence.
    b. The Cowart Plaque for Facility Engineering Organizations
is awarded to Base Elizabeth City's Facilities Engineering
Department (FED). This dedicated team of 76 individuals provided
all aspects of facility support for a sprawling 822-acre campus
supporting 2,800 personnel across 115 buildings, totaling 1.4
million square feet, encompassing aviation operational, industrial,
training, and support functions. Throughout the year, the Base
Elizabeth City FED achieved a 27-percentage point higher completion
rate for preventative maintenance compared to the Coast Guard
average and provided over 36,400 technician hours to complete
16,313 work orders while providing oversight on 9 major
maintenance construction projects. Additionally, they successfully
executed 12 major depot maintenance projects, including critical
repairs to fire suppression systems which safeguarded over $1.6
billion worth of CG aviation property and 30 buildings. Base
Elizabeth City's FED received consistent praise for their
outstanding service while they adeptly navigated the
challenges of supporting multiple facilities and commands.
    c. The Oren Medal is awarded to LCDR Joshua Smolowitz of
CEU Cleveland. As the Tactical Operations Product Line (TOPL)
Branch Chief, LCDR Smolowitz oversaw service-wide configuration,
sustainment, and recapitalization activities for 2,950 assets
valued at over $8 billion. LCDR Smolowitz led TOPL in supporting
seven Infrastructure Requirements Catalog (IRC) working groups,
including the groundbreaking "Air Station Optimization Team" which
drafted the first-ever Air Station IRC. Spearheading efforts to
address environmental liabilities caused by aircraft hangar
firefighting foam (AFFF), LCDR Smolowitz seized a time-sensitive
opportunity and actively participated in an Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) nationwide AFFF removal contract. LCDR Smolowitz's proactive
partnering with USACE resulted in the opportunity to leverage DoD's
economies of scale and save over $14 million for AFFF removal and
project management costs. Recognizing AFFF's documented
environmental and financial risks, LCDR Smolowitz charted a course
for the future of aircraft hangar fire suppression in the Coast
Guard. His exceptional contributions exemplify his dedication to
military engineering and reflect Rear Adm. Oren's legacy.
    d. The Sargent Medal is awarded to CWO David Mann of CEU Oakland.
As a Construction Project Manager and Contracting Officer's
Representative (COR), CWO Mann demonstrated unwavering dedication,
impeccable coordination, and remarkable technical expertise. His
commitment ensured that high-quality work was completed within
budget and schedule, solidifying his role as an invaluable member of
the Regional Execution team. CWO Mann exhibited superb technical
skills and outstanding leadership while adeptly overseeing seven
mission-critical facilities depot-level maintenance projects across
Coast Guard Districts 11 and 13. The combined value of these
projects exceeded $31 million. Recognizing the strain on the
Construction Branch Chief, CWO Mann stepped up to alleviate duties
and assumed additional supervisory responsibilities. Furthermore,
CWO Mann served as a supervisor for six civilian field inspectors,
ensuring seamless project coverage within the $90 million
West Coast construction execution program. His tremendous
leadership, attentive customer service, unwavering devotion to duty,
and selfless generosity in both his professional and personal life
have earned him recognition.
2. The Panel extends its gratitude to the commands that took the
time to recognize their personnel. We would like to especially
highlight the following units and nominees as honorable mentions
for their hard work and accomplishments throughout the year.
Bravo Zulu for a job extremely well done.
    Base Borinquen FED
    Base Cape Cod
    Sector Southeastern New England
    TRACEN Cape May
    TRACEN Yorktown
    CEU Cleveland
    CEU Juneau
    CEU Miami
    CEU Oakland
    CEU Providence
    FDCC
    Mr. Liam Kneckt
    LCDR Graham Sherman
    LCDR Jay Shirey
    LT Clara Dahill
    LT Holden Takahashi
    LT Thomas Porzillo
    Mr. Robert Haupt
    Mr. Jason Kotz
    CWO Sean Maring
    DCC Brett Malone
    CWO Steven Mensen
3. The recipients of these awards will be recognized by SAME at the
Joint Engineer Training Conference & Expo (JETC), which will be
held in Orlando, FL, from 14 to 16 May 2024.
4. For any questions, contact LCDR Mark Funke, COMDT (CG-438) at
(202) 475-5780.
5. RDML A. B. Grable, Assistant Commandant for Engineering and
Logistics (CG-4), sends.
6. Internet release is authorized.