Photo By Caitlin Hurst | From left: Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) Commanding...... read more read more
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For her efforts in resolving critical SPY-1 radar casualty reports (CASREPs) during a 2024 operation, Unmanned Program Director Sonia Langley — with Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) in California — received a prestigious fleet readiness award on July 24.
Program Executive Officer Rear Adm. Thomas Dickinson virtually presented Langley with the 2024 William H. Neiger Fleet Readiness Excellence Award at a Program Executive Office (PEO) Integrated Warfare Systems (IWS) All Hands and Awards Ceremony in July.
Langley and her parents attended a private livestreaming of the PEO IWS Award Ceremony — along with NSWC PHD Commanding Officer Capt. Tony Holmes and Technical Director Jeff Koe — at NSWC PHD’s headquarters onboard Naval Base Ventura County.
Acting as NSWC PHD’s Aegis fleet readiness customer advocate, Langley coordinated with fleet, technical and operational commands to provide deployed ships with critical support, according to the Neiger Award summary.
Langley worked nearly seven days a week from March through June 2024 at NSWC PHD with a three-week break in May, she said. During the operation, Langley ensured NSWC PHD’s response and actions regarding four Navy vessel casualties were up to date for the briefs Naval Sea Systems Command and other stakeholders required.
“Sonia worked tirelessly in the fight,” Dickinson said during the ceremony. “She was able to get the ships back out there.”
William H. Neiger award
The competitive award recognizes those who have made significant contributions to the waterfront readiness of PEO IWS systems and programs.
Capt. Drew Rivas, the major program manager for IWS 1F, nominated Langley, and she was one of four NSWC PHD team members the program office considered for the award.
In his nomination justification, Rivas wrote that Langley helped resolve all the SPY-1 radar CASREPs with her calm leadership, coordination and communication skills.
“She deftly managed competing requests and demands that exceeded her resources,” Rivas wrote. “Langley is equally at ease communicating with ship commanding officers, destroyer squadron commodores and junior SPY technicians.”
NSWC PHD’s electronics engineer Troyce Usener; Kevin Martin, IWS 1.0FR/NSWC PHD program manager representative, Mayport; and Combat Systems Project Engineer and Test Director Tom Chavez were also nominated for the Neiger Award for their waterfront readiness efforts. As a result, PEO IWS presented them each with a Navy Civilian Service Achievement Medal.
Chavez said he was surprised to learn he was nominated for the distinguished award, as those who are up for a citation usually aren’t briefed by their nominator.
Chavez credits his work in amphibious warfare ship integration for his recognition. He said the amphibious fleet doesn’t get as much attention as other vessels, so when crews do repairs and upgrades, they’re often faced with technical and monetary obstacles.
“We’re the eyes and ears on the deckplate through these modernization efforts,” Chavez said. “We identify and help remove the barriers, so we can resolve the issues and get ships back in the fight.”
Martin — who was recognized for his efforts in coordinating repairs on a number of Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers over a two-and-a-half-year period — downplayed his own contributions and championed the work of his team.
While working aboard a vessel, Martin coordinated original equipment manufacturers and supported the first infrastructure as a service (IAAS). He also acted as the main liaison between ship’s force and IAAS program fields.
“The real reward behind the Navy Civilian Service Achievement Medal is that we have ships ready to deploy with systems they can rely upon,” Martin said.
Naval career
Although Langley joined the Navy in 2004, the U.S. Naval Forces have always been a part of her life as both her parents were naval officers. Steve and Frances Honda said they were surprised when their daughter announced she was joining the military, considering all the moving Langley did as a kid.
“The Navy is my family,” Langley said. “It’s what I’m used to. I wanted to continue the family heritage and serve my country.”
After graduating from Cornell University in New York with a biology degree and participating in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, Langley received her commission and did her first tour in Hawaii on the surface warfare officer path. Then on her second tour, she joined the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command and entered the nuclear propulsion officer pipeline, Langley said.
Again, her parents were surprised. They said they didn’t expect her to get into nuclear power with a biology degree, but they knew Langley could handle it.
“She’s the type to get things done, even if she doesn’t know anything about it,” Frances Honda said. “She’ll learn.”
After five years in the Navy, Langley began job hunting and applied for a job at NSWC PHD in Aegis Test and Evaluation. She eventually supported Aegis fleet readiness before she transitioned in 2018 to her Aegis fleet readiness customer advocate job that she served in during the operation.
Disney adult
Outside of work, Langley enjoys reading, hiking, gardening and watching Disney movies — her favorite is the original “The Lion King” — and traveling internationally. However, one of her favorite travel destinations is Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
Ever since she and her husband, NSWC PHD MK 41/MK 57 In-Service Engineering Agent Surface Launching Systems Program Manager Richard Langley, went to the theme park in 2018 and experienced shorter-than-expected queue lines for rides and surprisingly tasty food, the couple have been visiting regularly.
Sonia Langley said she enjoys the food, people watching and the overall experience of being in the park.
As a self-proclaimed “Disney adult,” Sonia Langley always dresses up in Mickey Mouse ears and other Disney attire while at the so-called happiest place on Earth.
“I look like a Disney Store has thrown up on me,” she said.
| Date Taken: | 09.09.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.09.2025 17:23 |
| Story ID: | 547697 |
| Location: | PORT HUENEME, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 87 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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