CE captures AFMC-level awards

  • Published
  • By Mark Wyatt
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  The 66th Air Base Group Civil Engineering Division won two team awards and four individual awards at the Air Force Materiel Command Civil Engineer Awards for 2014. 

The team awards were captured in the Air Force Outstanding Small Civil Engineer Unit Award and Maj. Gen. Del R. Eulberg Asset Management Award categories. Brian W. Lashley, Susan M. Gribbin, David M. Bilodeau and Sean L. Garrity were selected as individual winners. Winners go on to compete for Air Force level awards.

"We have outstanding, innovative people who work very hard for Hanscom and the Air Force, and frankly, I wasn't surprised to see so many winners," said Tom Schluckebier, Civil Engineering director.  "When you start listing all they have accomplished and consider all of the resource constraints, it makes for a very impressive award package."

The Hanscom CE team garnered the Air Force Outstanding Civil Engineer Unit Award-Active Duty Small Unit was lauded for their "masterful orchestration" of $90 million in engineering requirements for two new base schools and a new dormitory for Airmen assigned to Hanscom AFB.

Also, the snow removal team was credited with "conquering 13 snow storms and 13 icing events" totaling more than 79 inches of snow on the installation, an effort that also earned the grounds team the Hanscom Team of the Year at the 66th Air Base Group Annual Awards Ceremony last spring.

The Maj. Gen. Del R. Eulberg Award focuses on three key areas: Environmental, Asset Optimization and Capital Assets. 

The environmental team was recognized as a two-time winner of the Environmental Federal Green Challenge Award for emission cuts. Additionally, the team received a leadership award from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation for the successful van pool program.

While partnering with Massachusetts officials, CE worked hand-in-hand with the state on a $1.5 million base energy audit that was at no cost to the Air Force. Additionally, civil engineers partnered with the Communications Division to facilitate the move of the Joint Personal Property Shipping Office from off-base leased space to an on-base facility, saving over $300,000 per year in rent.

Named the Outstanding Civil Engineer Manager of the Year was Susan M. Gribbin, CE Emergency Communications Center  supervisor, for superb leadership. From ensuring flawless initial responses to  more than 300 emergencies to managing and integrating multiple complex systems, Gribbin was a key player in integrating the life-saving efforts of the Fire Department and was a key player in them winning the 2013 Air Force Materiel Command Small Fire Department of the Year Award.

Dave Bilodeau, CE Readiness and Emergency Management Flight chief, was named the Air Force Civilian Emergency Manager of the Year. Bilodeau was recognized for his support to the Emergency Operations Center during an aircraft crash at Hanscom Field in May. His "perfect coordination" for the incident commander during a 10-agency recovery effort was critical to the rapid response.

Additionally, Bilodeau partnered with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency on local exercise participation that resulted in the first ever common operating picture between Air Force and Massachusetts officials.

Sean Garrity, Central Steam and Chilled Water Plant engineer, was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Civil Engineer Manager. Garrity masterminded a plan to cut annual electric substation maintenance outage time by 200 percent and circuit down time to less than 30 minutes.

He is credited with developing the first-ever service contract to adjust controls at the plant that resulted in greater efficiency and EPA opacity problems.

The Outstanding Civil Engineer Manager of the Year is Brian Lashley, an engineering technician. He was responsible for authoring a detailed Computer Aided Drafting and Design training manual that resulted in project manager efficiency soaring.

Additionally, Lashley led a review of a CADD drawing vault that had thousands of items dating as far back as 60 years ago, which now is being systematically catalogued for instant use.

"We have to thank all the base organizations we rely on, from Contracting to Logistics to Communications and many others; we couldn't do our jobs without a great team effort from everyone," said Schluckebier.