Photo By Ryan Smith | Rear Adm. Keith Hash, commander of Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, appears...... read more read more
More than 120 employees were honored June 25 during NAWCWD's first hybrid Honorary Awards Ceremony. The hybrid format connected teams from across the country.
The ceremony recognized innovation, leadership and warfighter support across 10 categories. It took place during the Navy's 250th anniversary year and NAWCWD's more than 80 years of delivering critical capability.
Rear Adm. Keith Hash, NAWCWD commander, opened with the Navy's strategic priorities.
"The people you're going to hear about today are rock stars," Hash said. "We are focused on preparing for future conflict. There are people in harm's way today, and they're alive because of the work you've done, because of the capability this warfare center delivers."
These award winners advanced critical areas from hypersonic testing to electronic warfare, business management and target systems. Their work strengthened fleet readiness.
During the ceremony, Hash and Thomas Dowd, director of Ranges/Targets Operations, Instrumentation and Labs Group, presented awards at Point Mugu. Dan Carreño, executive director, and Calvin Martin, director of the Sustainment Group, presented awards at China Lake.
Carreño emphasized the Navy's three priorities: preserving peace, deterring aggression and winning decisively when called upon.
He connected the groundbreaking work that built NAWCWD's reputation with today's innovations.
"I recently presented a 55-year award to a renowned weapons expert who started in 1967," Carreño said. "Someone asked, 'I wonder what cool things they were working on in 1967?' And I said, the same cool stuff we're working on now."
Drawing from that perspective, Carreño urged the workforce to recognize the long-term significance of their contributions.
"Don't underestimate the impact of your work today or tomorrow," Carreño added.
Carreño challenged the workforce to accelerate innovation.
"Weapons integration takes too long, costs too much and is marginally effective when delivered late," Carreño said. "That's the handbook from the 1990s. We're writing a new one now, and you're helping to write it."
2025 Honorary Award Winners
NAWCWD Business Management Excellence Award
This award recognizes outstanding achievement in business management across finance, human capital management, contracts, information technology, security, and legal services. Recipients demonstrate exceptional contributions in business and administrative endeavors that advance NAWCWD's mission. The honor celebrates professionals who deliver excellence in critical support functions that enable operational success.
Recipients: Cara Diehl, Dava Maples, Duane Sishc
Captain Kenneth A. Walden Memorial Award
Captain Kenneth A. Walden guided others to achieve key technical and operational objectives at Point Mugu. This award recognizes individuals who have made significant strides in professional growth and mission contributions. The honor celebrates emerging leaders who demonstrate exceptional potential and dedication to advancing organizational capabilities through innovative problem-solving and technical expertise.
Recipients: Patrick Kreidt, Jonathan Pooley, James Swader, Jarrod Weinzapfel, Royce Williams
Commander Clifton Evans Jr. Memorial Award
Commander Evans established electronic warfare systems at the Naval Air Missile Test Center at Point Mugu in the 1940s and 1950s. His leadership in creating the Countermeasures Division led to Point Mugu becoming the charter location for Naval Air Electronic Warfare Systems in 1968. This award recognizes contributions in spectrum warfare, including electronic combat and defensive capabilities, continuing Evans' legacy of innovation in electronic warfare development.
Recipients: Roshanak Mirtorabi, Mackie Rachman, John Rice
Dr. Charles C. Lauritsen Memorial Award
Dr. Charles C. Lauritsen played a crucial role in developing the first air-launched rockets and established the China Lake Propulsion Laboratories at the Naval Ordnance Test Station, marking the beginning of the rocket age in naval warfare. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to energetic materials, ordnance, propulsion, and fusing. He also helped create the civilian-military team concept in Navy lab structure that continues today.
Recipients: Andrew Demko, Gretchen Hefley
Dr. L.T.E. Thompson Memorial Award
Dr. Thompson assembled a highly effective team at the Naval Ordnance Test Station at China Lake, driving the center's early success in ordnance development. Established in 1956, this honor represents the command's highest individual achievement award. Recipients must demonstrate exceptional technical leadership and mission impact that aligns with Thompson's vision of integrating military and civilian personnel into collaborative, effective teams.
Recipients: Dung Bui
Dr. Twain C. Lockhart Memorial Award
This award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to target systems development, a field Dr. Lockhart helped transform during his tenure at Point Mugu. His leadership advanced the design and operation of targets that replicate realistic threats, establishing standards for weapons testing effectiveness. Recipients carry forward his vision that better targets mean better weapons and safer warfighters.
Recipients: Todd Douglas
Gwendolyn Elliott Hunt Memorial Award
The award honors its namesake, a charismatic leader and technical professional recognized for rising to every challenge. Recipients exemplify significant strides in personal growth, academic success, and career advancement. The honor recognizes individuals who have earned promotion or placement in leadership, supervisory, or managerial roles within NAWCWD while serving as positive role models.
Recipients: Shyd Benedict Rombaoa Coloma, John Durr Jr., Terry Jones, Joy Trujillo
Dr. Manuel A. Garcia Memorial Award
The Dr. Manuel A. Garcia Award recognizes civilian employees who identify needs and improve weapon systems test and evaluation processes through self-initiated activities. Dr. Garcia, a leading figure in simulated modeling for weapon systems in the 1960s and 70s, fostered a culture that appreciated individual contributions and education importance. Recipients demonstrate innovative problem-solving that enhances mission effectiveness.
Recipients: Michael Agacite, Patrick Chang, Frank Hunt, Matthew Jenks, Sam Soria
Michelson Laboratory Award
Established in 1966, this award was the first of its kind to honor significant leadership achievements advancing the organization's mission and major contributions to solving technical challenges in ordnance development, test and evaluation. Like Dr. Albert Michelson's relentless pursuit of measurement precision, recipients embody the passion to continuously improve and never stop questioning. The award recognizes technical excellence and outstanding performance in research and development.
Recipients: Lisa Barneby, Mark Decker, Eun-Joo Ketcham, Falguni Shahpatel, Shane Wiedemann, Jeffery White
Warfighter Support Award
This award recognizes NAWCWD employees and teams for specific efforts providing in-service support for weapons systems and enhancing warfighter operational capabilities and readiness. Recipients demonstrate outstanding support to the fleet, including Foreign Military Sales customers, significantly enhancing operational capabilities. Their efforts are essential as warfighters prepare for and operate increasingly complex weapons systems.
Recipients: F-35 U.S. Reprogramming Laboratory Team (represented by Mark Roth), Shipboard Weapons Integration Team (represented by Barry Wilson), Systems Technology Office Team
| Date Taken: | 07.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.08.2025 15:13 |
| Story ID: | 542240 |
| Location: | CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 173 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NAWCWD celebrates excellence in first hybrid Honorary Awards ceremony, by Tim Gantner, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
