ESC, AFRL win AFMC awards

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Albert R. Vasso
  • AFRL, Hanscom Research Site
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Three Hanscom individuals and one project team took home the win at the 2010 Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) Science, Engineering and Technical Management Awards Banquet held recently at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

First Lt. Benjamin Worker, from the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), was presented the Junior Military Scientist award. Lieutenant Worker, the manager of the calibration laboratory and lead for field measurements, was selected for his innovative improvements to the laboratory that have increased accuracy, availability, reliability and capability of DoD sensors, as well as for work on the recent TacSat-3 space surveillance demonstration. He was also involved in the lab's support of the Civil Air Patrol's airborne search and rescue imaging sensor program.

The Junior Military Engineer award went to Capt. Daniel Urban from the Electronic Systems Center (ESC). Captain Urban led a team to field, upgrade and sustain three tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) systems worth $220 million, while upgrading five deployable commercial satellite imagery ground stations collecting 100 million square kilometers of imagery in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and world-wide humanitarian operations. Additionally, Captain Urban succeeded in advancing aircrew situational awareness by fielding and sustaining 110 Combat Track II radios in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

AFRL's Scintillation Network Decision Aid (SCINDA) team was presented the Scientist Team award. The SCINDA team distinguished itself for its ten years of exceptional service in the effort to create a space weather forecast product for radio frequency scintillation caused by the ionosphere. The team successfully transitioned an AFRL prototype demonstration to a fully operational system run by the Air Force Weather Agency, secured funding to complete the effort and continued to maintain and enhance the capabilities of the prototype while sending experimental forecasts to operational users. The team consisted of team chief Dr. Keith Groves, Lt. Col. Bruce Lambert, Mr. John Quinn, Mr. Ronald Caton, Capt. Isseyas Mengistu, Capt. Justin Cowley, 1st Lt. Randy Cicale, 1st Lt. Stephen Jimenez, 1st Lt. Mike Verlinden, 1st Lt. Dean Anneser and 1st Lt. Benjamin Heruska.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Fitton, from ESC, rounded out the night by accepting the Gen. Lester L. Lyles award. The Award recognizes and honors a strong advocate for recruiting, retaining, developing and effectively managing the Air Force's outstanding military and civilian scientific and engineering workforce. Colonel Fitton was selected for his successful leadership during the drive to rebuild ESC's organic engineering workforce--reviewing over 150 resumes to identify highly qualified applicants and expediting hiring for key positions across the center. Under his direction, ESC's organic workforce increased 33 percent and is expected to double by 2012. Additionally, Colonel Fitton provided vital center and Air Force-wide technical oversight and direction for a $4.5 billion dollar Federally-Funded Research and Development Center contract, ensuring that urgent technical needs were met.

All awards were presented by Dr. Steven Walker, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for science, technology and engineering, and Mr. Russell B. Howard, director of engineering and technical management for Headquarters, AFMC.