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Brig. Gen. Joseph Shrader, commander of Marine Corps Systems Command, speaks to the crowd during the 2017 Acquisition Excellence Awards, hosted by Marine Corps Systems Command Aug. 8, aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. MCSC holds the event annually to recognize members of the Marine Corps acquisition workforce for outstanding performance during the previous fiscal year. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Jennifer Sevier)

Photo by MCSC_OPAC

Marine Corps acquisition workforce recognized for professional excellence, tenacity in 2016

10 Aug 2017 | Kaitlin Kelly, MCSC Office of Public Affairs and Communication Marine Corps Systems Command

Marine Corps and Dept. of Navy acquisition leaders gathered to recognize the outstanding performance of Marine Corps acquisition professionals and teams Aug. 8, aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico. 

 

Ms. Allison Stiller, acting secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition was the keynote speaker for the awards ceremony.

 

“Today’s awards recognize the performance and service of the very best in Marine Corps acquisition,” said Stiller. “These individuals and teams—uniform and civilian—distinguished themselves through their professional excellence, innovation, tenacity and superior planning in pursuit of the acquisition, fielding and support of Marine Corps systems and equipment.”

 

Brig. Gen. Joseph Shrader, commander of Marine Corps Systems Command, hosted the annual awards ceremony. He thanked the entire workforce for all their hard work and dedication over the past year.

 

“You have conducted yourselves in such a manner that outside of this organization at the institutional level of the Marine Corps—the commandant, the assistant commandant … the operational forces—have recognized the work that you’re doing,” said Shrader. “Give yourselves a standing ovation, because you all deserve it for all the work you’ve done over the last year and all the work you’re doing now.”

The first honorees received the Andrew J. Higgins, Eugene M. Stoner and Donald Roebling Awards, respectively. Higgins, Stoner and Roebling were responsible for the design, development, production and sustainment of three critical items of warfighting equipment that have had an enduring impact on the Corps. The Higgins Boat carried the Allies to victory in WWII. The M16 Rifle, designed by Eugene M. Stoner, has been carried by Marines from Vietnam to present-day conflicts. For more than 50 years, the Amphibious Tractor, developed by Donald Roebling, paved the way for modern amphibious force operations.

 

The Higgins, Stoner and Roebling awards recognize superior professional excellence and innovation in pursuit of the acquisition, fielding and support of systems and equipment to the operating forces. Other individual and team awards spotlighted those who excelled in acquisition or acquisition-related functions for a myriad of Marine Corps systems and equipment.

 

The Andrew J. Higgins Award—presented to a Marine Corps officer—was awarded to Maj. Austin Bonner. Bonner was recognized for his work while serving as project officer for the Tactical Service Oriented Architecture Program and Acting Tier 2 Integrated Product team lead at Marine Air-Ground Task Force Command, Control and Communications. He led his team to deliver TSOA capability Marine Corps wide, providing a free flow of multisource information services to all MAGTF elements.

 

The Stoner Award—presented to a staff noncommissioned officer—was awarded to Master Gunnery Sgt. Terry Erb. In 2016, Erb served as the senior enlisted advisor to the Ground-Based Air Defense Team, Ground Based Air Defense – Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar Program Management Office within Program Executive Officer Land Systems. His subject matter expertise and advice contributed to the team’s ability to field rapid solutions and capabilities to the fleet. 

 

The Roebling Award—presented to a Marine Corps civilian—was awarded to Daniel Neal Justis. As deputy program manager for Light Tactical Vehicles in PEO Land Systems, Justis was an integral to the acquisition, fielding and support of the Internally Transportable Vehicle Improvement Initiative and the Utility Task Vehicle programs for PEO LS.

 

Other award recipients received the Commander’s Annual Honorary Awards for accomplishments in 2016. The following awards recognized individuals and teams who made significant contributions to MCSC’s mission accomplishment:

 

Commander’s Honorary Award for Excellence in Acquisition Support: Martin Reeve, Common Aviation Command and Control System lead at Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane in support of the CAC2S program for PEO Land Systems.

 

Commander’s Honorary Award for Excellence in Command Support: Alberto Sandoval, lead administrative officer for Program Manager Infantry Weapons Systems, individual; Physical Security Team.

 

Commander’s Honorary Award for Excellence in Contract Management: Edward McGrail, assistant program manager-contracts for Program Manager Training Systems, individual; Cyber Operations Augmentation Support Effort Team.

 

Commander’s Honorary Award for Excellence in Financial Management: Ceola Alexander, financial management analyst for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicles Program in PEO LS, and Linda Palmer, head of the research and development branch for Theater Battle Management Core System Program, individual; Information Systems and Infrastructure Financial Management Team.

 

Commander’s Honorary Award for Excellence in Logistics and Product Support: Edward Lodge, senior logistician for CAC2S in PEO LS, individual; Product Manager Infantry Combat Equipment Body Armor/Load Bearing and Clothing Equipment Team.

 

Commander’s Honorary Award for Excellence in Marine-Air-Ground Task Force Engineering: Michael Martha, engineer for the Commandant-directed Utility Task Vehicle Program, individual; Afloat Command, Control, Communications and Computers Integration Team.

 

Commander’s Honorary Award for Excellence in Operations Research and Systems Analysis: Maj. Courtney Jones, lead cost analyst for Program Manager Combat Support Systems, individual; MCSC Light Armored Vehicle Sufficiency Review Cost Team.

 

Commander’s Honorary Award for Excellence in Program Management: Anthony Reinhart, Automatic Test Systems team lead, individual; Legacy Fleet Light Tactical Vehicle Team.

 

Commander’s Honorary Award for Innovation: Staff Sgt. Alexander Long, product manager, wearable technologies system, individual; Additive Manufacturing Team.

 

Champion of Veteran Enterprise Award: MCSC Office of Small Business Programs.

 

Lawrence P. Kreitzer Leadership Award: Jack Cave, program manager, Combat Support Systems.

 

Colonel Richard ‘Dick’ Bates Award: Maj. Andrew Konicki, Product Manager Networking and Satellite Communications within Program Manager MAGTF Command, Control and Communications.


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