Fanning Announces Winners of Navy League's 2002 Sea Service Awards

Navy League National President Timothy O. Fanning has announced the names of the winners of the Navy League's 2002 Professional Excellence Awards, presented annually to recognize the men and women of the U.S. sea services, including civilian employees, and others in the defense field, whose distinctive accomplishments during the previous year contributed significantly to U.S. national defense and to the capabilities of their individual services.

Several of the 2002 honorees were cited for their inspirational leadership, professional achievements, and personal heroism during combat operations in the U.S.-led war on international terrorism that followed the 11 September 2001 attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center complex in New York City and part of the Pentagon. Five women, including two Marines, and one Naval Reservist are among the awardees, who hail from cities throughout the United States and serve in Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard units throughout the world.
Following is a list of the awards and the names of the 2002 winners, with excerpts from the citations, which will be presented to the recipients at the 2 July Awards Luncheon during this year's NLUS National Convention--28 June through 2 July at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

The John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational Leadership: Cdr. Scott B. Bawden, USN, "for meritorious service as commanding officer of the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Providence. His personal concern for his crew, professional knowledge, and exacting standards of performance directly resulted in Providence's repeated recognition as one of the top submarines in the Atlantic Submarine Force. His inspirational and motivational leadership style encouraged the best performance from all hands and achieved results far beyond expectations. Providence's crew has been repeatedly recognized for its pride, professionalism, extraordinary enthusiasm, and 'can-do' attitude."

The Naval Intelligence Foundation Award: Capt. L. Thomas Bortmes, USN, "for superior leadership and unsurpassed intelligence support to the operating forces of the Navy while serving as commander, Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), particularly in response to the events of 11 September 2001. His leadership during the months following the September attacks was exceptional, and included the rapid relocation of personnel, communications, and computer systems. ... [His] efforts made ONI the focal point for intelligence support to Maritime Homeland Defense and to the naval/maritime phases of Operations Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle."

The Admiral Claude V. Ricketts Award for Inspirational Leadership, E-7 and above: Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Roger M. Grose, USN, "for professional excellence while serving as Medical Department leading chief petty officer aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. ... [He] led 42 Sailors in the provision of superb health care to over 5,000 crewmembers during deployed combat operations, including Operations Southern Watch ... and Enduring Freedom. ... Demonstrating personal courage and endurance, he was a key leader in boarding operations supporting maritime interdiction operations in the Arabian Gulf."

The Admiral Claude V. Ricketts Award for Inspirational Leadership, E-6 and below: Master-At-Arms First Class Christopher D. Breckenridge, USN, "for inspirational leadership and superior performance of duty while serving as the naval security force training and operations leading petty officer, Naval Support Activity, Bahrain, and leading auxiliary security force coordinator, Naval Submarine Base, Bangor. ... [He] received the Navy Commendation Medal for superbly managing and training over 3,000 military and civilian personnel in weapons qualifications and security/anti-terrorism/force-protection measures. He also was awarded two Navy Achievement Medals--one for extraordinary foresight and leadership in establishing and orchestrating the collection site for receiving and preserving bodies from Gulf Air Flight 072; the second for technical expertise in the effective coordination and sustainment of Navy Region Northwest's largest auxiliary security force complement."

The Captain Winifred Quick Collins Award for Inspirational Leadership, Officer: Lt. Kelly T. Fletcher, USN, "for inspirational leadership and superior performance of duties as assistant operations officer of the Aegis guided-missile destroyer USS Milius from December 2000 to June 2001. She led the ship's Strike Warfare Team as the engagement control officer ... and was responsible for developing and approving plans to employ the Tomahawk cruise missile in strikes against shore-based targets designated by the National Command Authority. She also single-handedly performed the duties of damage control training team leader, revolutionizing the manner in which shipboard damage control training is conducted at sea."

The Captain Winifred Quick Collins Award for Inspirational Leadership, Enlisted: Senior Chief Aviation Maintenance Administrationman Amy E. Goin, USN, "for meritorious service while serving as maintenance control senior chief in Fighter Squadron Forty One. Her contributions enabled the command to maintain a 98.6 percent sortie completion rate for the year with a flawless 100 percent sortie completion rate for all contingency operations in support of Operations Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom. While deployed aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise ... she played a key role in the command's record in the number of missions flown and the sortie completion rate. Her exhaustive efforts directly contributed to the outstanding combat readiness of the entire Enterprise Battle Group."

The General John A. Lejeune Award for Inspirational Leadership: Lt. Col. Bryan P. McCoy, USMC, "for exceptional leadership and superior performance of duty as the operations officer, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Reinforced), I Marine Expeditionary Force from July 2001 to January 2002, during which he planned, coordinated, and supervised the rehearsal and execution of two world-class exercises. ... [He] displayed an unrivaled ability to lead and organize multiple staffs as he planned, coordinated, and executed the largest combined-arms armor/mechanized live-fire exercise of its kind. His ability to teach while leading was masterful as he balanced the myriad of competing demands required."

The General Gerald C. Thomas Award for Inspirational Leadership: Master Sergeant Delphine Hamilton, USMC, "for superior performance of duty while serving in three consecutive billets requiring experienced professional senior leadership. ... [She] served for three months as Marine Aircraft Group 46's acting sergeant major ... as Detachment "A" administrative chief ... [then] at Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma as the squadron's sergeant major and administrative chief. Her diligence and experience were invaluable during a successful no-notice Commanding General Inspection. ... Her selfless leadership style and experience as a career counselor set an example for Marines young and old."

The Rear Admiral William S. Parsons Award for Scientific and Technical Progress: Dr. Donald Alan Birchler, "for professional achievement in the superior performance of duties while serving as CNA (Center for Naval Analyses) representative, Operations Department, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing One. ... [He] directed the data collection, reconstruction, and analysis of numerous databases, contributing directly to significant improvements in maintaining and tracking mission readiness. His brilliant statistical expertise and keen operational insights established him as the staff authority on current mission-effectiveness programs, Extended Echo Ranging operations, and systematic maintenance requirement planning. ... [His work] will significantly shape the future of the Navy's undersea warfare systems and sensor employment."

The Stephen Decatur Award for Operational Competence: Cdr. Charles T. Hollingsworth, USN, "for his professional achievements and superior performance of duty as current operations officer, Patrol Reconnaissance Force, Fifth and Seventh Fleets, in support of U.S. naval forces engaged in combat and crisis operations in the Middle East, Southwest Asia, and Southeast Asia. ... Displaying exceptional leadership, combat prowess, and tactical acumen, he directed the execution of more than 2,250 sorties totaling 14,750 flight hours. ... [He also] served as focal point for the repatriation of the U.S. EP-3 and aircrew. ... [His] seasoned leadership of Task Force 57 resulted in highly effective P-3 support for over 1,000 combat strike missions during Operations Enduring Freedom and Southern Watch. ... His efforts and initiatives, not only at sea but also on the ground, and his travels throughout Pakistan ... [were carried out] under the most demanding and arduous conditions experienced by any naval officer in recent years."

The General Holland M. Smith Award for Operational Competence: Col. Michael J. Godfrey, USMC, "for superior professional performance as G-4, III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF), United States Marine Forces Pacific. His strategic vision was key to the introduction of the high-speed vessel (HSV) catamaran for the strategic lift of III MEF forces. As HSV program manager, he spearheaded the initial research, development, and accelerated proof-of-concept phases of the HSV program. ... [His] effective program management has led to the expansion of joint and bilateral exercises and training opportunities and significantly enhanced local community relations."

The Alfred Thayer Mahan Award for Literary Achievement: Col. John G. Miller, USMC (Ret.), "for his numerous and inspiring literary contributions supporting the naval profession and the seapower principles enunciated by Alfred Thayer Mahan, particularly as exemplified in his most recent book, The Co-Vans: U.S. Marine Advisors in Vietnam. ... His award-winning writing style has earned him critical acclaim--as well as thousands of readers--for his honest, insightful, no-nonsense view of men at arms. ... [His] writing talents were recognized so early that he became the principal speechwriter for three Marine commandants, and also served as deputy director of Marine Corps history. ... Among the best known of his other works are The Battle to Save the Houston, an epic World War II tale about the men who refused to let their ship sink, and The Bridge at Dong Ha, a dramatic story of the combat exploits in Vietnam of legendary Marine hero John Ripley."

The Honorable J. William Middendorf II Award for Engineering Excellence: Machinist Mate First Class Michael A. Bastys, USN, "for professional engineering achievement as Auxiliaries Division leading petty officer on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. ... Displaying exceptional leadership and technical ability, he managed a division of 100 personnel sustaining combat missions during an arduous Northern Arabian Sea deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. ... [As] a field expert in the ship's Engineering Department ... [he] directly contributed to an extraordinary number of USS Theodore Roosevelt personnel attaining their surface warfare qualifications. Additionally, he devoted numerous hours to the mentoring and guiding of junior Sailors, contributing to a retention rate of 67 percent."

The Admiral Ben Moreell Award for Logistics Competence, Officer: Lt. Col. Kathleen M. Murney, USMC, "for superior professional performance in enhancing equipment and materiel readiness while serving as Head, Materiel Readiness Branch, G-4, II Marine Expeditionary Force, United States Marine Forces Pacific. Lt. Col. Murney spearheaded the establishment of a materiel readiness campaign plan that reduced materiel equipment excesses by $37 million. ... [She] was instrumental in validating and securing approval to establish a geographical Preposition War Reserve Account ... [and] was the catalyst in outsourcing and re-engineering numerous business practices. ... [She also] established a paradigm shift by transferring all garrison management of hazardous materiel from the warfighter and persuaded the Department of Defense to pilot a new Interactive Customer Evaluation System that will enable supported customers to seamlessly provide feedback on all logistic functions to the service provider."

The Admiral Ben Moreell Award for Logistics Competence, Enlisted: Master Chief Storekeeper Geopray White, USN, "for performance of her duties as supply leading chief petty officer, U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Four. Master Chief White provided inspirational leadership preparing and guiding the Supply Department through a very successful deployment to Okinawa and homeport period, spearheading countless improvements in supply and logistics through her determined leadership, and achieving spectacular results during Type Commander's Assessment. ... Her department provided superb logistical support that saved over $5 million for Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force customers in Okinawa."

The Captain David H. Jarvis Award for Inspirational Leadership: Lt. Michael Batchelder, USCG, "for outstanding leadership and exemplary achievement as U.S. Coast Guard Group Key West Engineering Officer. Lt. Batchelder oversaw the maintenance and improvement of the largest group facility in the Seventh District. ... [His] high-caliber work was critical to the completion of Operation Steel Cascade. ... He also supervised over $3.5 million in government contracts and through his attention to detail and initiative, and the personal interest he takes in each and every subordinate, created an environment in which all serving under him look forward to coming to work each day."

The Douglas A. Munro Award for Inspirational Leadership: Petty Officer Second Class Stephane Corriveau, USCG, "for inspirational leadership and professional competence as a boarding officer, Ionscan operator, and small arms instructor of Tactical Law Team South, Law Enforcement Detachment 405. ... [He] deployed for over 270 days on counterdrug patrols, special operations, homeland-security missions, anti-terrorism, and force protection operations and marine-interdiction operations. ... [He] also demonstrated his extensive law-enforcement expertise while enforcing a security zone around Vieques Island and, later, on the front lines of the Coast Guard's expanded force-protection operations guarding U.S. Navy installations and New York City's waterways from terrorists."

The Vincent T. Hirsch Maritime Award for Outstanding Leadership: Rear Adm. Edward J. Fahy, USN, "for his commitment to the goal of maintaining a strong U.S.-flag Merchant Marine and its infrastructure to protect the national military and economic security of the United States. As director of plans and policy, United States Transportation Command, he has been recognized as one of the Defense Department's premier experts on strategic mobility and force projection. ... [He] led joint industry-DOD groups in the evolution of the Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA) into a highly effective sealift program. ... [He was] particularly successful in bringing about much greater cooperation between the commercial maritime industry and the Department of Defense. His extraordinary management and leadership have substantially improved the U.S. capability to rapidly deliver war materials worldwide."

The Captain Arthur L. Johnson Award for Inspirational Leadership: Capt. Robert T. Wiley, USN, "for meritorious service as master of the fleet oiler USNS John Ericsson while operating in the Arabian Gulf from September 2001 through January 2002. ... John Ericsson conducted over 150 replenishments at sea, delivering more than 100 million gallons of fuel and 4,000 pallets of cargo. ... Capt. Wiley's extraordinary leadership instilled the civilian crew, Navy military detachment, and embarked Marines with the will to achieve and maintain exceptionally high standards of performance. ... [His] controlled, measured, and proactive responses to potential threats defused at least one potential international incident and prevented the loss of life. ... [He also] was responsible for a highly successful maritime intercept operation ... [when] John Ericsson was the only U.S. naval asset available to intercept four potentially hostile boats suspected of smuggling terrorists."

The Able Seaman Oscar Chappell Award for Outstanding Maritime Stewardship: Boatswain Chester Blue, USN, "for meritorious service aboard the combat stores ship USNS Niagara Falls from September through December 2001. ... Chester Blue's extraordinary leadership was the cornerstone of the ship's accomplishments. He set a standard of unflappable professionalism and dedication to service that was emulated by his crew. His focus on safety, crew quality of life, and getting the job done the right way the first time was instrumental to the success of the ship's primary mission of underway replenishment. In the post-September 11 period he was a steadfast example of courage, equanimity, and patience." * correspondence to Jeremy Miller, the Navy League's legislative representative, at jmiller@navyleague.org. For more information, phone Miller at (703) 528-1775.