Members of Hanscom's directorates honored at LCMC Acquisition Management Awards

  • Published
  • By Patty Welsh
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Members of the Battle Management and C3I and Networks Directorates were winners at the second annual Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Acquisition Management Awards Oct. 29.

These awards recognize and honor individuals and teams who have demonstrated excellence in managing acquisition and test programs.

Acquisition Excellence and Program Execution Directorate Director John Artuso, host of the event which connected LCMC sites via VTC, said he was impressed with the workforce and thanked them for their efforts.

From C3I&N, Denise Williams, Global Aircrew Strategic Network Terminal deputy program manager, won the Senior Acquisition Support Award for outstanding achievement in the support role for the program management or test and evaluation management mission. Williams' award package highlighted her role in leading a 45-member government and contractor team to "deliver vital nuclear command and control capabilities to the warfighter."

"Ms. Williams is an amazing leader, mentor and program manager who is very deserving of this award and recognition," said Lt. Col. Kenneth Decker, Global ASNT program manager. "Her experience and expertise has ensured that this important program remains on cost and schedule. The success of the Global ASNT program is a direct result of Denise's leadership and dedication to delivering this much-needed capability to the warfighter."

For Military Project Management Awards, Capt. Nicholas Castro, Dismount Detection Radar deputy program manager from Battle Management, won in the delegated acquisition (ACAT) or services category (SCAT) II or III. According to his package, Castro "identified an equipment failure the day before a flight test and coordinated the fix in less than eight hours, thus averting a two-week test delay and a $1.8 million loss." He saved another $550,000 by identifying and correcting Joint STARS inefficiencies.

"I'm very impressed by the work accomplished by Captain Castro and the Dismount Detection Radar team," said Col. Scott Owens, Theater Battle Control Division chief. "They overcame several significant hurdles to demonstrate and characterize the 4th-gen radar's performance, and proved that the open architecture could effectively integrate software provided by a third-party developer, all within cost and schedule."

Battle Management took home both awards in the Journeyman Program Management Award categories. Brian Ruhm, now the Battle Management Program Execution Group chief, won in the delegated ACAT or SCAT II and III category for his previous work as the Joint STARS deputy program manager; while Lt. Col. Kyle Reybitz, Air and Space Operations Center Weapon System branch chief, won in the ACAT or SCAT I and non-delegated II category.

In his award package, Ruhm is referred to as "Better Buying Power personified." It notes that he kept critical upgrade programs going and worked to accomplish aircraft restoration while increasing availability and accelerating fielding. He also "... slashed prime mission equipment costs by $5 million."

"Brian Ruhm played a decisive role in multiple high priority Air Force acquisition programs," said Lt. Col. John Kurian, Joint STARS modernization branch chief. "As deputy PM, he kept critical Joint STARS operations and modernization alive on a shoestring budget, maintaining progress despite sequestration and marks."

Reybitz was honored for commanding and leading the AOC WS transition. He also "executed a $105 million Air and Space Operations Center Weapon System upgrade, encompassing 24 global sites and increasing combat capabilities by 75 percent."

Maj. Jeffrey Nuñez, AOC WS test and evaluation chief, also from Battle Management though located at Langley AFB, Va., won the Test and Evaluation Management Award for his work leading a 60-plus member AOC WS Integrated Test Team. He also "led two key development tests over 32 days including 110 testers, and closing 12 category I and 42 category II deficiency reports, averting an eight-month delay."

Col. Gregg Kline, Operations Command and Control Division chief, said he was honored by the recognition and inspired by the accomplishments.

"For me, personally, I am very proud of the work done on the AOC weapon system and Lieutenant Colonel Reybitz and Major Nuñez are truly deserving of this recognition. Their leadership has inspired the entire team to exceed warfighter expectations and is now hailed by commanders as we deliver to the field."

Susan Angell, Acquisition Excellence and Program Execution Directorate Operating Location Hanscom site senior functional, lauded the LCMC personnel.

"Our AFLCMC program managers are second to none," she said. "The HB and HN winners reinforce the quality of our program management workforce and the importance of the Hanscom mission in meeting warfighter needs. I applaud their accomplishments and am proud to serve alongside them."