Photo By Katherine Mapp | Lt. Cmdr. Thomas J. Dill, a Sailor from Lake Fenton, Michigan assigned to the Naval...... read more read more
PANAMA CITY, Florida – A Sailor from Lake Fenton, Michigan assigned to the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) was recently selected as the 2016 Department of the Navy (DoN) Small Program Outstanding Tester Award military recipient.
Lt. Cmdr. Thomas Dill, a 2001 Lake Fenton High School graduate, said he felt honored and excited when he was notified of the selection.
“This award represents the hard work and dedication of the team that works on unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) technology on a daily basis at NSWC PCD,” said Dill. “I am honored to receive the award, but it is a testament to all the team members required to make a program successful. The command’s test staff saw value in having a military Test Director and mentored me along the way. I still seek out their knowledge and experience to develop my skills as a Test Director.”
Dill is also a 2014 graduate of Florida Atlantic University and 2005 graduate of the United States Naval Academy.
According to Head of the NSWC PCD Test & Evaluation (T&E) and Prototype Fabrication Division, Tony Bond, Lt. Cmdr. Dill has become a critical leader for the Unmanned Systems Remote Sensing Program in the area of T&E.
“Dill aggressively pursued Test Director qualifications to better leverage his knowledge and experience in military operations to support test and evaluation of UUV systems for the Office of Naval Research, Naval Facilities and Engineering Command, known as NAVFAC, and other organizations,” said Bond. “Dill provides full spectrum support and leadership, serving as a Test Director for the PAX River UUV Demonstration in 2015 which tested over 70 technologies; joint testing with German Navy partners for the Coalition Warfare Program; environmental sensing for unexploded ordnance detection on undersea ranges; and for planning and executing tests in support of urgent operational needs.
He is the first member of the military assigned to NSWC PCD to successfully go through the rigorous process of earning qualifications as a Test Director.”
Dill is designated as a Civil Engineer Corps Officer with a specialty in Ocean Engineering and diving operations. In Dill’s role as the Fleet Liaison Officer in Charge at NSWC PCD, he leads six military personnel in the Fleet Liaison Office providing experience and support for Fleet Mine Warfare systems, test support, UUV operations and command functions. In regard to test and evaluation, he primarily supports NSWC PCD’s Science and Technology Department in planning, conducting test events and providing military feedback on system engineering and development.
According to the award announcement by Rear Admiral David Hahn, Director of U.S. Navy Innovation, Technology Requirements and T&E, the selection process was highly competitive with outstanding nominations submitted from the Naval Systems Commands and Navy and Marine Corps Operational Test Agencies. “We have a highly dedicated and exceptional T&E workforce that has achieved much in support of Navy and Marine Corps acquisition programs,” said Hahn.
What makes a successful tester, according to Dill, is a technical understanding of the project goals, collaboration, experience, determination and humility.
“Though I am a leader in several ways at NSWC PCD, I don’t always have the answer or the best answer, but being able to listen to others and synthesize data and perspectives into a decision and direction that best accomplishes the goals in a safe and efficient manner makes for a successful tester,” said Dill. “The driving force in my career is the desire to work with people who are focused on service to the nation, hard work and layering my experience with the experiences of others to find solutions to problems, regardless of difficulty.”
Dill’s past military awards include a Navy and Maine Corps Achievement Medal in 2009, a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal in 2011, a Joint Achievement Medal in 2012 and a Joint Commendation Medal in 2013. He is a qualified Seabee Combat Warfare and Joint Diving Officer and also a Professional Engineer licensed in the state of Michigan.
This is the third time a NSWC PCD awardee has received a prominent T&E award from the DoN. NSWC PCD Certified Test Director Eric Pierce was awarded the 2015 Small Program Outstanding Tester Award and NSWC PCD Engineer Amanda Bobe was awarded the 2014 DoN Aspiring Tester Award.
NSWC PCD: The Force Behind the Mine Warfare Fleet
| Date Taken: | 04.10.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 04.12.2017 17:22 |
| Story ID: | 229799 |
| Location: | PANAMA CITY, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 300 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Michigan, USNA Alum Earns Department of the Navy Tester Award, by Katherine Mapp, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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