Army Acquisition Corps Recognized

By April 29, 2015September 5th, 2018General

By Chris Geisel

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (April 29, 2015) — Senior Acquisition Corps leaders recognized the expertise and commitment of uniformed and civilian acquisition and contracting professionals dedicated to delivering capability to Soldiers during the 2014 Army Acquisition and Contracting Awards Ceremony on 28 April here.

“What a great event and honor to recognize the many successes of our acquisition professionals from across the various program offices and commands in support of the current fights and future defense of our Nation,” said Honorable Heidi Shyu, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT))/Army Acquisition Executive. “I am always very impressed and humbled by the professionalism, commitment and dedication of our workforce and recognitions such as these just highlights how fortunate the Army is to have such a talented workforce,” Shyu added.

Shyu, along with Lt. Gen. Michael Williamson, Principal Military Deputy to the ASA(ALT)/Director, Acquisition Career Management, Harry Hallock, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Procurement and Steve Karl, Director, Life Cycle Logistics Policy presented the awards throughout the evening.

The Army Acquisition Executive, the Hon. Heidi Shyu, honored the winners of the 2014 U.S. Army Acquisition Awards at a ceremony on April 28, 2015, in Huntsville, Alabama.

The Army Acquisition Executive, the Hon. Heidi Shyu, honored the winners of the 2014 U.S. Army Acquisition Awards at a ceremony on April 28, 2015, in Huntsville, Alabama. (Photos by Henry Norton, PEO Aviation)

The 2014 Army Acquisition and Contracting Award winners were:

  • Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology Continuous Performance Improvement Award — the Improve the User Account Provision Timeline Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Project Team, Program Executive Office (PEO) Enterprise Information Systems, Ft Belvoir, Va. The Project Team successfully reduced the man days lost across the Army from 10 Days to 7.42 Days (26%), and went from manually monitoring to implementing an Identity Management solution at two DISA Core Sites that will interface with Army AD structures and help automate AD account provisioning. The Army can expect to receive a projected financial benefit of $666M in cost avoidance over a seven year period.
  • Army Life Cycle Logistician of the Year Award – Ollie Toney, Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. Toney’s superior management skills and exemplary understanding of Life Cycle Logistics has demonstrably reduced costs for the Patriot Weapon System.
  • Director, Acquisition Career Management Award — Susan McKinnis, Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Ill. McKinnis served in many critical positions throughout her career, willingly accepting the most challenging assignments, and achieved successful results through her technical competence, leadership, and undaunted mission-first mentality.
  • Acquisition Director of the Year at the Lieutenant Colonel level – Lt. Col. Robert Mathews, Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Hood, Texas. Matthews effectively supported the Warfighter, increased customer satisfaction, and Military integration through his recognized leadership and team building which resulted in creating a diverse civilian, military, and contractor workforce that consistently combine efforts to develop, implement, and execute numerous successful US Army contracting operations and provide superior support to the command.
  • Product Manager of the Year – Lt. Col. Francisco Lozano, Soldier Protective Equipment, PEO Soldier, Ft. Belvoir, Va. Lozano performed in an absolutely exceptional manner while providing critical lifesaving force protection equipment to our Soldiers and deployed Joint Warfighters serving in, and deploying to, Afghanistan and other contingency operations around the globe.
  • Acquisition Director of the Year at the Colonel Level – Col. Paul Pardew, at the time of the award was from the 414th Contracting Support Brigade, Vicenza, Italy. As Commander of the 414th Contracting Support Brigade, Pardew established new expeditionary contracting capabilities for US Army Africa, cementing a reputation for acquisition excellence across a varied customer base.
  • Project Manager of the Year – Col. William Sheehy, Program Manager Armored Brigade Combat Team, PEO Ground Combat Systems, Warren, Mich. Sheehy successfully led the $26 billion Paladin Integrated Management program through a Defense Acquisition Board approval for Milestone C to enter Low Rate Initial Production, exceeding program objectives.
  • Army Acquisition Excellence Award for Individual Sustained Achievement — Suanne Coonrad, Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md. Coonrad initiated innovative acquisition changes resulting in efficiencies towards the Better Buying Power initiatives. Her forward thinking techniques not only resulted in award of over 72 actions valued at $128M and further mitigated $6M in reinstatement fees as cost avoidance.
  • Army Acquisition Excellence Award for Equipping and Sustaining Our Soldier’s Systems — XM1156 155MM Precision Guidance Kit New Equipment Training Team, PEO Ammunition, Picatinny Arsenal, N. J. The highly motivated Precision Guidance Kit New Equipment Training team successfully trained over 1,800 Soldiers in 33 different locations within and outside the continental United States, overcoming obstacles consistent with fielding new precision capabilities in active combat operations.
  • Army Acquisition Excellence Award – Information Enabled Army — Program Management Office for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, PEO Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. The Program Management Office for Unmanned Aircraft System’s role in the evolution of the Manned Unmanned Teaming operational concept has been the driving force for success in MUM-T standards and government-industry teaming on Unmanned Aircraft System interoperability for achievement.
  • Army Acquisition Excellence Award for Transforming the Way We Do Business – Program Management Office for Ammunition and Weapons, Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. The Program Management Office – Ammunition & Weapons Team is transforming the way target engagement systems are acquired within the Special Operations Command and the US Army. While challenging the “stovepipe” paradigm of acquisition in isolation, this team is applying the Better Buying Power philosophy through a spirit of collaboration.
  • ASA(ALT) Contracting Noncommissioned Officer Award for Contracting Excellence – Sgt. 1st Class Larin Harris, Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md. Harris provided exemplary support to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility and the Aberdeen Proving Ground Garrison. Among his numerous accomplishments, while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Sgt. 1st Class Harris performed superbly as a Contracting Specialist, flawlessly administering 42 contract actions valued at $2.4 million as he provided contingency contracting support and expertise throughout Southern Afghanistan.
  • Secretary of the Army Awards for Excellence in Contracting, Barbara C. Heald Award — Tracey E. Shaw, Army Corps of Engineers, Middle East District in Winchester, Va. Shaw distinguished himself as the sole Middle East District contracting officer deployed to Afghanistan to support the transition of over $500M of active construction projects in the southern region.
  • Exceptional support of the AbilityOne program Award — Joan Wysoske, Army Contracting Command at Rock Island, Ill. Wysoske is recognized for her exceptional dedication and diligence in developing and expanding employment opportunities to the visually impaired in the Ability One and the Wounded Warrior Programs.
  • Outstanding Contract Specialist and Procurement Analyst Award (two winners) — Jeffrey Knight, Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala. Knight distinguished himself by performing duties well beyond his position as a Supervisory Contract Specialist. In addition to exemplary supervisory duties and Contracting Officer executions, Mr. Knight successfully developed a cogent structure and contractual mechanism for a consortium of companies and universities to compete for a digital manufacturing institute that was executed in direct support of a President of the United States initiative.
  • Bethany Hull, Army Corps of Engineers, Middle East District, Winchester, Va. Hull distinguished herself by leading the Middle East District to its first “Green” rating in over 10 years on the 2014 Procurement Management Review. Ms. Hull’s detailed review and submission of critical acquisition planning documents supported mission-essential requirements for nearly $1 billion in obligations.
  • Outstanding Contracting Officer Installation Level – Directorate of Contracting — Steven Dunbar, Army Contracting Command – Rock Island, Ill, McAlester Army Ammunitions Plant, McAlester, Okla. Dunbar leads a team in executing contract actions in support of McAlester Army Ammunition Plant. Dunbar is the senior technical authority, responsible for the efficiency and effectiveness of the procurement team.
  • Outstanding Contracting Officer Systems, Research and Development, Logistics Support (Sustainment) Contracting — Deisy D’Ambrosio, Non-Standard Rotary Wing, Foreign Military Sales, Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. D’Ambrosio provided exceptional support to the PEO Aviation Non-Standard Rotary Wing Mission. She was instrumental in jointly developing effective contracting strategies and defining improved acquisition processes and procedures in conjunction with the recently established project office.
  • Outstanding Contracting Officer Specialized Services & Construction Contracting — Derek Schnorrenberg, Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Ill. Schnorrenberg’s dedication to the mission, analytical thinking, and attention to detail has enabled the Special Forces within two combatant commands to perform mission critical functions, which would not have been possible without the contracts supporting them.
  • Outstanding Contracting Officer Contingency Contracting – Maj. Anthony Rogers, 413th Contracting Support Brigade, Expeditionary Contracting Command, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. Rogers’ hard work and dedication to duty directly contributed to Nation Building in support of the U.S. National Defense Strategy and validated Operational Contract Support concepts and 413th CSB Reach Back capabilities in the Unites States Pacific Command’s Area of Responsibility.
  • Outstanding Unit/Team Award for Systems, Research & Development, Logistics Support (Sustainment) Contracting — Paladin Integrated Management Low-Rate Production Negotiation Team, Army Contracting Command, Warren, Mich. Paladin Integrated Management Low Rate Initial Production negotiation team evaluated, negotiated, and awarded a $688M Fixed Priced Incentive Firm Target contract for the initial production of the M109A7 and M992A3 vehicles, an Acquisition Category One D program. While under considerable scrutiny and stringent time-lines, the team achieved a contract award that was on schedule and under budget
  • Outstanding Unit/Team Award for Contingency Contracting — Regional Contracting Office, 410th Contract Support Brigade, Expeditionary Contracting Command, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Regional Contracting Office Guantanamo Bay distinguished itself by providing exceptionally meritorious support to Joint Task Force Guantanamo, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism from 1 June 2013 through 30 May 2014.
  • Outstanding Unit/Team Award for Installation Level – Directorate of Contracting — Service and Construction Team, Regional Contracting Office the 414th Contracting Support Brigade, Expeditionary Contracting Command, Caserma Del Din, Italy. The Regional Contracting Office – Italy’s Services & Construction Team was the driving force in providing customer support, increasing contract efficiencies, effectively managing human resources, and process improvement making a direct impact to U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza.
  • Outstanding Unit/Team Award for Specialized Services & Construction Contracting — Branch E of the Global Reachback Contracting Division, Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Ill. Branch E, Global Reachback Contracting Division provided responsive, full spectrum contracting support for a massive number of complex large dollar, service contracts for transportation related requirements and non-complex supplies in support of various transportation commands on a global scale.

The event hosted by the Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space, Redstone Arsenal, Ala, also recognized Major General Harold J. “Harry” Greene Awards for Acquisition Writing. This was the first year for the awards.

Maj. Gen. Greene gave his life for our country on August 5, 2014 while deployed to Afghanistan. At the time of his death, he was Deputy Commanding General of the Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan. Prior to his deployment, he served as the Deputy for Acquisition and Systems Management in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology).

The Major General Harold J. “Harry” Greene Awards for Acquisition Writing recognize distinguished commentary that is instrumental in shaping the public dialogue about Army acquisition. These awards, in their inaugural year, are being presented in four categories.

Winners of the Major General Harold J. “Harry” Greene Awards for Acquisition Writing are:

  • In the category of Acquisition Reform/Better Buying Power, the winning authors are Colonel Linda Herbert, Ms. Veronica Alexander, and Dr. Christina Bates for their essay entitled “The Contract Closeout Management Tool: Achieving Better Buying Power by Enabling Rapid Contract Closeout.”
  • In the category of Future Operations, the winning author is Lt. Col. Adrian Marsh, for his essay entitled “Managing Stability Operations with Program Managers – A New Role for Army Acquisition.”
  • In the category of Innovation, the winning author is Ernest Keen for his essay entitled, “Innovation in Army Acquisition.”
  • In the category of Lessons Learned, the winning author is Maj. Garrett Bruening for his essay entitled “Maintaining and Developing the Contingency Contracting Force Through Contracting-driven Humanitarian and Civic Assistance Missions.”

See more photos of the awards ceremony at https://www.flickr.com/photos/usaasc/.

The nomination period for the 2015 Army acquisition and contracting awards is now open. Completed nomination packets are due by close of business, May 27. For more information, go to https://asc.army.mil/web/acquisition-awards/.

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