[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text]ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. (June 22, 2012) — Outstanding leadership, accomplishments and achievements in providing critical capability in support of the Soldier were recognized during the recent C4ISR Center of Excellence Awards Ceremony.
Hosted by the Army’s Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications–Tactical (PEO C3T), the event honored 57 workforce members and their endeavors in aiding U.S. forces, which were uncompromised despite the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) in 2011.
“The C4ISR community is known for pulling together and working together,” said Maj. Gen. N. Lee S. Price, program executive officer for C3T and ceremony host. “Today I want all of us to reflect on the accomplishments of each of the awardees. It’s a huge ‘hooah’ that as we transitioned here as part of BRAC from Fort Monmouth; it was entirely seamless to those we support. I want to personally thank each individual and say that I appreciate all you do.”
During the ceremony, which was held on June 21 at the Myer Auditorium in Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., awards were presented for the 3rd and 4th quarters of fiscal year 2011, employee of the year, team of the year, C4ISR top ten outstanding personnel of the year, and awards for the 1st Quarter for fiscal year 2012.
Awardees were pinned by Maj. Gen. Price and greeted and congratulated on stage by Maj. Gen. Robert Ferrell, commanding general of the Communications–Electronics Command (CECOM) and installation commander of APG; Ms. Jill Smith, director for the Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC); Mr. Stephen Kreider, acting Program Executive Officer for Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors (PEO IEW&S); Mr. Greg Davies, chief of staff for Army Contracting Command at APG; and Command Sgt. Maj. Kennis Dent, CECOM.
The ceremony included awards for the top ten outstanding personnel of the year, 2011. Those recognized were:[/vc_column_text][unordered_list style=”circle” animate=”no”]
- Dr. Terrill Atwater, CERDEC
- Jeffrey Forgach, PEO C3T
- Gregory Hartman, PEO IEW&S
- Joseph Ingrao, CECOM
- John Kays, PEO C3T
- Christian Keller, PEO IEW&S
- Theresa Pagliaro, CECOM
- Jennifer Pilant, Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD)
- David Ward, CECOM
- Leonard Zito, TYAD
[/unordered_list][vc_column_text]The awardees for the top ten outstanding personnel said they were pleased and honored to have their achievements recognized.
“We have a world class team in this project office, in all the different disciplines, from technical to information assurance to business and readiness, all focused on support to our product managers in the delivery of superior supplies and services to our ultimate customers, Soldiers, Marines and Airmen that rely upon the capabilities,” said Jeff Forgach, readiness management division chief for Project Manager Force XXI Battle Command Brigade–and–Below, a system that tracks troops and hazards on a geospatial imagery map. “I am thankful for the recognition on behalf of the entire FBCB2 family.”
The award ceremony offered a chance to highlight accomplishments made at TYAD as well, despite the restrictions of the current budget environment. Realizing the present budget environment, the Army needs to “really sustain and push beyond–the–life–expectancy out of every piece of equipment,” said, Leonard Zito, lead quality engineer at TYAD.
“So we need to bring more to the table,” he said. “And that’s what my goals were with my work, to bring in new technology and push it to the end of testing and research, and keep it moving forward to be more efficient.”
Dr. Atwater, a chemical engineer with CERDEC, said the award was recognition of hard work.
“The project I worked on was an expansion of a product that was initially deployed when the conflict started,” he said. “Then as the missions changed we listened to the Soldiers and adapted that to the SWIPS [Soldier Wearable Integrated Power System]. The Soldiers have adapted it. It’s really appreciated that we listened well and that we got that product out.”
John Crone, deputy product manager for Distributed Common Ground System–Army (DCGS-A), Software Baseline (DSB) 1.0 nominated Gregory Hartman, the systems engineering lead for DCGS DSB 1.0, for the award. He said Hartman’s efforts will have a direct impact on Soldiers as they move forward and obtain a Full Deployment Decision (FDD).
“This FDD will allow us to field advanced intelligence capabilities to the Intelligence Community allowing the combatant commanders to make informed decisions on the battlefield giving our forces a tactical advantage as well as protecting Soldiers and saving lives,” said Crone.
Joseph Ingrao, director of the CECOM Software Engineering Center Warfighter Mission Area, also welcomed the award.
“SEC supports the Communications systems, the ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance) systems, as well as the Command & Control — which encompass the majority of the C4ISR systems throughout, supporting PEO IEW&S and PEO C3T,” said Ingrao. “Leading that team has been a great honor for me.”
The C4ISR awards are given quarterly in an effort to promote and recognize the dedicated work in support of our Soldiers. Each separate C4ISR Center of Excellence organization will rotate as the host.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]