ALCOAST 227/24 - MAY 2024 2023 CAPTAIN NIELS P. THOMSEN INNOVATION AWARDS RECIPIENTS

R 231051Z MAY 24   MID120001129400U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 227/24
SSIC 5224
SUBJ: 2023 CAPTAIN NIELS P. THOMSEN INNOVATION AWARDS RECIPIENTS
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 181801Z DEC 23/ALCOAST 498/23
1. I am pleased to announce and congratulate the recipients of the
2023 Captain Niels P. Thomsen Innovation Awards, as chosen by the
Research, Development and Innovation Governance Council (RDIGC),
and discussed in REF (A).
2. The U.S. Coast Guard Strategy relies on every member of our
Service to embrace "a culture of innovation [that] will help us
quickly develop new solutions to the most pressing problems and
deploy them seamlessly into everyday mission execution (United
States Coast Guard Strategy, 2022, p.16)." This year's award
recipient's bias for action inspires our workforce to discover
new ways to enhance our nation's maritime safety, security and
prosperity. Their imaginative solutions improve workforce
resiliency, streamline procurement processes, leverage technology
to maximize mission effectiveness, and support the health and
wellbeing of our current and future workforce.
3. The 2023 award recipients by category are:
    a. Science or Technology:
        Dark Vessel Detection at Scale
        (1) Mr. Patrick Richmond, MIFC LANT
        (2) LCDR Ryan Taylor, CG-2 AI
        (3) LCDR Nikea Natteal, ICC
        (4) LT John Pope, MIFC PAC
        (5) LTJG Alaric Stone, USCG District 5
        (6) LTJG Bonni Hartman, MIFC PAC
        (7) CWO2 Patrick Jackson, MIFC LANT
        (8) ISC Samuel Hammond, MIFC LANT
        (9) IS1 Drew Logan, MIFC LANT
        (10) IS2 Jocelyn Miller, MIFC LANT
        (11) IS2 Joel Gadd, MIFC LANT
        (12) IS2 Clifford McRorie II, MIFC LANT
        (13) Mr. Mathew Frank, ICC
        (14) Mr. David Newberry, MIFC PAC
        (15) Mr. Mark Winding, MIFC PAC
    b. Operations or Readiness:
        Innovation in Migrant Interdiction Operations
        (1) LCDR Shawn Antonelli, CG-ODO-1
        (2) LCDR Nick Phillips, CG-MLE-3
        (3) LT Kailee Evereteze, CG-7611
        (4) LT Garen Anderson, CG-682
        (5) LT John Roddy, CG-MLE-3
        (6) LT Victoria Martucci, CG-MLE-2
        (7) LT Benjamin Arocho, C5ISC
        (8) LT Ryan Major, C5ISC
        (9) LTJG Jarett Woodbury, C5ISC Kearneysville
        (10) LTJG Casey Whitehead, C5ISC
        CG Network Modernization: Starshield & 5G Cellular Technology
        (1) LCDR Thomas Garcia, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (2) LT Asa Jawahir, C5ISC Alexandria
        (3) LTJG Alex Tschida, C5ISC Kearneysville
        (4) LTJG Mark Wood, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (5) LTJG Thomas Espinal, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (6) LTJG Lee Francis, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (7) CWO Robert Allen, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (8) ITCS James Stewart, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (9) ENS Leland Wilson, C5ISC ISD-TSB-NET
        (10) ITC Abidenas Neves, C5ISC ISD-TSB-NET
        (11) Mr. Eric Woynaroski, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (12) Mr. Jeff Tschiggfrie, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (13) Mr. Russ Watkins, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (14) Mr. Ed Soliven, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (15) Mr. William Vanden Houten, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (16) Ms. Allison Britton, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (17) Mr. Nak Chong, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (18) Mr. Keith Whelpley, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (19) Mr. Gary Kloss, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (20) Mr. Darryl Lewis, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (21) Mr. Kalvin Baker, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (22) Mr. Ken Schiro, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (23) Mr. Dennis Hyde, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (24) Mr. Andy Weber, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (25) Mr. Eric Rozon, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (26) Mr. Michael Locke, C5ISC ISD-TSB-DCS
        (27) Mr. Isaac Baiden, C5ISC ISD-TSB-NET
        (28) Mr. Juan Colon, C5ISC ISD-TSB-NET
        (29) Mr. Josh Hockenberry, C5ISC ISD-TSB-NET
    c. Administration, Training, or Support:
        Robotic Process Automation in the Coast Guard
        (1) CAPT Shannon Smith, CG-2
        (2) CDR Jonathan White, C5ISC
        (3) CDR Lukas Spurrier, CG-ODA
        (4) LT Drew Cheneler, C5ISC
        (5) LT Hessamoddin Shafeian, CG-68
        (6) LTJG Alaric Stone, District 5
        (7) IS3 Theodore Sherrill, District 5
        (8) IS3 Evan De La Pena, District 5
        (9) Ms. Celestina Budovec, NPFC
        (10) Ms. Shamara Wilkins, CG-68
        (11) Ms. Jessika Hunt, CG-8
        (12) Mr. Devon Gunter, RDC
    d. Culture Change:
        Naval Engineering Structured Assignment Programs
        (1) CAPT Thomas Lowry, CG-45
        (2) Mr. Brian Ellis, CG-45
        (3) CDR Matthew Smith, CG-452
        (4) LCDR Nathaniel Dufresne, CG-452
    e. Coast Guard Auxiliary Achievement:
        Emergency Management Transformation in D8
        (1) AUX Jesse Aron Scott, 8th USCG District Western Rivers
        Region
        (2) DSO EM Commodore Richard Lawrence, 8th USCG District
        Western Rivers Region
        (3) Commodore Robert Tippet, 8th USCG District Western Rivers
        Region
        (4) Commodore Jackson Gumb, 8th USCG District Western Rivers
        Region
        (5) Wm. Shawn Steadman, 8th USCG District Western Rivers
        Region
        (6) AUX Bernard Weston Morosco, Jr., 8th USCG District Western
        Rivers Region
        (7) AUX Dennis Pearson, 8th USCG District Western Rivers
        Region
        (8) AUX Frank Harrison Merrill, 8th USCG District Western
        Rivers Region
        (9) AUX Harvey Siegal, 8th USCG District Western Rivers Region
        (10) AUX Barclay Stebbins, 8th USCG District Western Rivers
        Region
    f. Commander Joel Magnussen Innovation Award for Management:
        Short-Range Unmanned Aircraft Systems (SR-UAS)
        (1) LCDR Sammy Hill, CG-7114
        (2) LCDR Matthew Hardgrove, PAC-37AF
        (3) LT Kevin Deininger, CG-41
        (4) LT Zachary Speck, LANT-37AF
        (5) LTJG Jacob Cheeseman, ATC Mobile
        (6) AMT1 Matthew Riemer, ATC Mobile
4. The Coast Guard RDIGC reviewed 52 award nominations received
through CG_Ideas@Work. The 2023 nominees embody the exceptionally
innovative spirit of our workforce and their efforts have made a
tangible impact in our Service. We encourage all Coast Guard members
to be bold, think differently, and innovate for results. Additional
information about these and other exceptional ideas may be viewed
at:
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https://cg-ideasatwork.ideascalegov.com/

5. Although only a few of the many nominations can be selected for
an award each year, the RDIGC would also like to recognize this
year's Honorable mentions for each of the award categories:
    a. Science or Technology:
        Orthomosaic Mapping for MER Oil Spill Response and Subsurface
        Mapping Support
        (1) Ms. Dana Tulis, CG-5RI
        (2) LCDR Sammy Hill, CG-7114
        (3) LT Joshua McElhaney, DRM
        (4) LTJG Jacob Cheeseman, TRADEP
        (5) AST1 Matthew Riemer, TRADEP
        (6) MST1 Zachary Strack, PAC STRIKE
        (7) Great Lakes Center of Excellence
        (8) CGC BLACKFIN
        Ask Hamilton
        (1) CDR Jonathan White, C5ISC-ALEXANDRIA
        (2) LCDR Hillary Adams, TMX-TF
        (3) LCDR Ryan Taylor , CG-2 AI
        (4) LCDR Craig Nilson, DCO-51
        (5) LT Shano Ezzell, C5ISC-ALEXANDRIA
    b. Operations or Readiness:
        Enhanced Operational Efficiency through the Law Enforcement/
        Land Mobile Radio Analytic Dashboard in Sector North Carolina
        (1) CDR Bobbie Jean Felix, DCMS-55
        (2) LT Robert Shaw, SEC NC Intel
        (3) IS2 Brandon Cash-Fanshaw, SEC NC Intel
        (4) ENS Cameron Howell, SEC NC Intel
        Coastal Resilience Risk Analysis of Coast Guard Critical
        Infrastructure: A Coastal, Hazard, Analysis, Modeling,
        and Prediction (CHAMP) Approach to Hazard Consequence
        Prediction
        (1) LCDR David Bourbeau, CG-WWM-1
        Enhanced Operational Efficiency through the Law Enforcement/
        LAD in Sector North Carolina
        (1) LT Justin Dadlani, STA FT LAUDERDALE
        (2) BMC Scott Sjostrom, STA MANASQUAN INLET
    c. Administration, Training, or Support:
        C5ISC Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Wiki (Policy Wiki)
        (1) LCDR Hillary Adams, CG-TMX
        (2) Mr. Michael Lautenschlager, C5ISC-BOD-PPMB
        Aviation Enlisted Workforce Experience/Surge Capacity Index
        (1) LT Blake Shaw, USCG Air Station Miami
        Operation Bench Strength (OBS): Contract Station Keepers
        Increase Unit Readiness
        (1) RADM John Mauger, District One
        (2) CAPT Chad Brick, Base Boston
        (3) CAPT Lexia Littlejohn, District One
        (4) CAPT Sean Hannigan, District One
        (5) CDR Greg McLamb, Sector NNE
        (6) CDR Simon Greene, Sector Boston
        (7) LCDR Keely Higbie, Base Boston
        (8) LCDR Michael Higbie, Base Boston
        (9) LCDR Matthew Eyler, Base Boston
        (10) LT Timothy Hulse, District One
        (11) Ms. Jennifer Souza-Madura, Base Boston
        (12) BMCM Brian Martin, Base Boston
        (13) CWO Andrew Dean, Sector NNE
        (14) CWO Harrison Stanley, SFO SW Harbor
    d. Culture Change:
        Impactful Toolkit for Cultural Observances
        (1) Mr. Patrick Ferraris, CG-00H
        (2) LCDR Jessica Rangel, CG-0922
        (3) Ms. Constantin Graf Von Kageneck, CG-0922
        (4) Ms. Kiesha Miller, CG-0922
    e. Coast Guard Auxiliary Achievement:
        ASK - Auxiliary Source of Knowledge, AI Service
        (1) AUX Charles "Drew" Wilkins, Flotilla 014-05-10
    f. CDR Joel Magnussen Innovation Award for Management:
        Area Contingency Planning Revitalization Effort
        (1) CDR Matthew Richards, CG-MER-4
        (2) Mr. Jonathan Smith, CG-MER
        (3) CAPT Joe Loring (retd.), CG-MER
        (4) CDR Thomas Ottenwaelder (retd.), CG-MER
        Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
        (1) CAPT Shannon Smith, CG-2 AI
        (2) CDR Jonathan White, C5ISC-ALEXANDRIA
        (3) CDR Lukas Spurrier, CG-ODA
        (4) LT Drew Cheneler, C5ISC-ALEXANDRIA
        (5) LT Hessamoddin Shafeian, CG-6812
        (6) LTJG Alaric Stone, District 5
        (7) IS3 Theodore Sherrill, District 5
        (8) IS3 Evan De La Pena, District 5
        (9) Dr. Devon Gunter, RDC
        (10) Ms. Celestina Budovec, NPFC
        (11) Ms. Jessika Hunt, CG-86
        (12) Ms. Shamara Wilkins, CG-686
        International Affairs Country Strategy Adoption
        (1) CAPT Javier Delgado, U.S. Embassy Mexico City
        (2) CDR Kevin Connell, DCO-I
        (3) LCDR Greg Hersh, Sector New York
        (4) LCDR Ian Phillips-Dezalia, CG Cryptologic Unit Colorado
6. The Innovation Awards ceremony was held on 02 May 2024 during
the spring Senior Leadership Conference. Additional information
regarding this and other RDIGC activities can be found at the
Innovation Portal at:
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https://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/cg9/2/6/Innovation/SitePages/
HomePage.aspx

and on the web at:
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https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/cg9/rdt-e/innovation/

7. POC: Please direct any questions to COMDT (CG-926) Research,
Development, Test and Evaluation, and Innovation Program at:
Innovation@uscg.mil.
8. Mr. James Knight, Deputy Assistant Commandant for Acquisition
(CG-9D), and Ms. Lisa Schleder-Kirkpatrick, Deputy Assistant
Commandant for Capability (CG-7D), send.
9. Internet release is authorized.