ALCOAST 043/25 - FEB 2025 WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT - 2024 NAVAL ENGINEERING AWARDS

R 031600Z FEB 25 MID120001719359U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 043/25
SSIC 1650
SUBJ: WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT - 2024 NAVAL ENGINEERING AWARDS
1. In recognition of their outstanding contributions to the Naval
Engineering program, I am pleased to announce the recipients of the
2024 Naval Engineering Awards. As in years past, the quality of
candidates were incredible and highlighted how the Naval Engineering
workforce is vital to directly supporting the Coast Guard's ability
to conduct surface operations. Leadership, technical proficiency,
initiative, support of operational readiness, and professional
development of Naval Engineers were all clearly evident throughout
the submissions.
    a. CAPTAIN RICHARD D. POORE AWARD - LCDR Andrew Armstrong,
Base New Orleans Naval Engineering Department Head. LCDR Armstrong
distinguished himself as a superb performer in demanding, high-
profile assignments within Naval Engineering. As a Naval
Engineering Department Head, LCDR Armstrong provided superior
mission support to assets for eight Sectors across District EIGHT,
leveraging organic resources to complete 250 projects, saving the
Coast Guard $17M in commercial costs. An advocate for innovation,
LCDR Armstrong founded the Additive Manufacturing Working Group,
partnering with internal and external organizations to establish
the Coast Guard's first Additive Manufacturing production center
and establish a foothold in Department of Defense industry training.
These efforts proved vital during PAMLICO's drydock where his team
fabricated 17 deck drains, saving the Coast Guard $270k in
manufacturing costs and avoiding a 120-day delay. An advocate for
technical education, he volunteered countless hours judging robotic,
science, and engineering competitions, promoting STEM disciplines
to young students.
    b. VICE ADMIRAL E. L. PERRY AWARD (Afloat) - LT James Hardey,
CGC FORWARD (WMEC 911) Engineer Officer. LT Hardey's unmatched
leadership and technical acumen as the Engineer Officer on FORWARD
resulted in a remarkable zero lost operational days due to cutter
maintenance and repair throughout three patrols. He fostered a
positive culture that emphasized cross-departmental collaboration,
leading to a staggering 98.9% on-time maintenance completion rate
and 62 major casualty corrections. Displaying extraordinary
innovation, he established an onboard Additive Manufacturing program
and employed it to make improved mission capabilities, including
fabricating a fuse housing for FORWARD's cutter boat to perform
on-station repairs during Operation VIGILANT SENTRY. Further
performing outside his primary duties, he served as an underway
Officer of the Deck and actively trained junior officers and crew
toward qualification. LT Hardey's dedication, knowledge, and
initiative enabled FORWARD to conduct 26 boardings, 15
interoperability exercises with partner nation vessels, and host
over 40 heads of state and cabinet-level official during the
2023 Pacific Island Country Summit.
    c. VICE ADMIRAL E. L. PERRY AWARD (Ashore) - LT Stephanie Motta,
SFLC Small Boat Product Line Programmed Depot Maintenance Branch
Chief. As the PDM Branch Chief for SBPL, LT Motta effectively
managed a $13M budget and 22 geographically dispersed port engineers
and project managers to successfully execute 65 small boat dry dock
availabilities. LT Motta's diligent oversight helped identify system
failure trends that spurred vital engineering changes to extend the
service life of five asset classes. Leveraging organic industrial
resources, LT Motta coordinated structural repairs on five boat
types, resolved two fleet-wide mission ending casualties, and
garnered a $1M investment in organic repair facilities to expedite
vessel restoration while decreasing costs. LT Motta's superior
understanding of budgeting and maintenance cycles allowed the
reduction of traditional funding requirements by $6M and pre-funding
IOD-led drydock availabilities to procure long lead time items,
further decreasing project timelines. A champion for the workforce,
LT Motta was instrumental in the development of a brand-new EPO PQS
and assisted with hosting the annual NEPQS workshop for 20 junior
officers.
    d. VICE ADMIRAL B. L. STABILE AWARD - MK1 Emily Matter,
CGC WILLIAM CHADWICK. An exemplary technician and leader, MK1 Matter
leveraged knowledge and experience to implement innovative
maintenance strategies onboard CGC WILLIAM CHADWICK. Applying
unrivaled initiative while demonstrating superior technical
proficiency, MK1 Matter developed 23 new maintenance procedures
that have since been promulgated by SFLC for use by the entire
fleet. Further showcasing acute technical acumen, MK1 revolutionized
the unit's machinery logs, developing an automated log system to
capture critical machinery data while reducing the administrative
burden to watchstanders. MK1 spearheaded regional mentoring efforts,
building community and esprit de corps across units which culminated
in a community response to fleet-wide fuel pump issues where
MK1 Matter coordinated commercial logistics and repair not just for
CGC WILLIAM CHADWICK, but the entire Boston FRC fleet.
    e. REAR ADMIRAL R. S. LUCAS PLAQUE (Afloat) - CGC VIGILANT
(WMEC 617) Engineering Department. Demonstrating exceptional
ownership of their ship's material condition and commitment to
engineering innovation, VIGILANT's Engineering Department
successfully executed three multi-mission patrols in support of
Operation MARTILLO and Operation VIGILANT SENTRY and three extensive
maintenance periods that encompassed depot-level maintenance,
emergent casualty repairs, and an emergency drydock valued at $300K.
Showcasing unparalleled stamina, VIGILANT's team led response
efforts during a 4-hour effort to extinguish a machinery space fire
and dedicated over 60 hours to the subsequent investigation and
repair. Their expertise and teamwork were critical in replacing over
8,000 feet of damaged cable, eliminating the need for contractor
support and ensuring VIGILANT was fully operational just 20 days
after the fire. VIGILANT's engineers exhibited exceptional ownership
in all aspects of cutter maintenance and repair, as was apparent in
their 90% average maintenance completion rate. Their combined
efforts throughout the year enabled the 60-year-old cutter to remain
underway for over 140 days and seize $79M worth of cocaine.
    f. REAR ADMIRAL R. S. LUCAS PLAQUE (Ashore) - Coast Guard Yard.
The Coast Guard Yard celebrated its 125th year of Service to the
Fleet, executing mission maintenance while overcoming fiscal,
schedule, prototype, and production challenges. As the Coast Guard's
largest industrial facility and only full-service shipyard, the CG
Yard executed over 20 drydock and dockside availabilities as part of
a total industrial portfolio of 291 programs valued at $315M.
Further cementing their reputation for success on challenging
projects, the CG Yard pioneered the first 270' WMEC Main Diesel
Engine renewal. Throughout the past year, the CG Yard proved to be
linchpin to success during the unprecedented FY24 Force Alignment
Initiative, providing layup support to nearly 20 cutters and
pivoting RDAP focus to support 154' FRCs. Showing incredible
commitment to their personnel, the Yard hosted three separate
Project Management Professional exam preparation courses, helping
58 Coast Guard employees earn their PMP certifications. The Coast
Guard Yard's continued emphasis on exceptional organic industrial
support continues to be a pivotal cornerstone investment to provide
service to the legacy and future Coast Guard surface fleet.
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. Poore Award:
        (1) CWO David Woods - Surface Forces Logistics Center -
Patrol Boat Product Line
        (2) Mr. Ryan Young - Surface Forces Logistics Center -
Long Range Enforcer Product Line
    b. Perry Award (Afloat)
        (1) LT Joseph Rizzardi - CGC RESOLUTE (WMEC 620) -
Engineer Officer
        (2) LCDR Spencer Ross - CGC KIMBALL (WMSL 756) -
Engineer Officer
    c. Perry Award (Ashore)
        (1) LCDR Charles Lortz - ISVS PRO Baltimore -
270' WMEC Service Life Extension Program
        (2) LCDR Hannah Wyderko - Coast Guard Yard -
Supervisory Project Manager
    d. Stabile Award
        (1) MKCS Derek Schultz - Surface Forces Logistics Center -
Long Range Enforcer Product Line
        (2) CWO Sean Woodworth - CGC BERTHOLF (WMSL 750) -
Main Propulsion Assistant
    e. Lucas Plaque - Afloat
        (1) CGC ALEX HALEY (WMEC 39)
        (2) CGC POLAR STAR (WAGB 10)
    f. Lucas Plaque - Ashore
        (1) Naval Engineering Department Miami Beach
        (2) Naval Engineering Department Portsmouth
3. Questions regarding the Naval Engineering Awards may be directed
to LCDR Laurin Teegarden, COMDT (CG-452),
Laurin.M.Teegarden@uscg.mil.
4. RDML A.B. Grable, Assistant Commandant for Engineering and
Logistics (CG-4), sends.
5. Internet release is authorized.