Congratulations to the recipients of the 2021 Naval Engineering Awards. This year’s recipients once again demonstrated how vital our naval engineering workforce is to the Coast Guard’s ability to conduct operations.
The 2021 Naval Engineering Award recipients are:
CAPTAIN RICHARD D. POORE AWARD – given to the naval engineering regular/reserve officer or civilian who has made the most significant contribution to the Coast Guard within the past three years
Mr. Michael Parrish, Deputy Product Line Manager, Surface Forces Logistics Center (SFLC) Patrol Boat Product Line (PBPL)
Mr. Parrish’s dynamic leadership of the PBPL global workforce yielded a significant increase in fleet readiness, while improving maintenance efficiencies, and avoiding $30 million in dry dock costs. He spearheaded one of the most momentous cutter transitions of the modern era with the 11,000-mile transatlantic delivery of the Fast Response cutter to Bahrain, replacing the Island Class Patrol boat in support of Patrol Forces South-West Asia (PATFORSWA). He used innovative financial methods to procure $4.7 million in warfighting packages to outfit six PATFORSWA cutters to help protect the U.S. Fifth Fleet. In addition, he secured further efficiencies and cost savings by forecasting maintenance, aligning warranties with dry dock use, and using Navy contracting for forward deployed assets. In total, Parrish’s efforts are estimated to have returned 1,000 patrol days to operational commanders.
VICE ADMIRAL E. L. PERRY AWARD (Afloat) - given to the regular/reserve officer assigned to a cutter who has made an outstanding contribution to the Coast Guard’s naval engineering program in the past year.
Lt. Cmdr. Tanya Cuprak, Engineering Officer, Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton (WMSL 753)
Lt. Cuprak led the Hamilton through successful completion of $9.3 million in maintenance, streamlined its shoreside support system, and used quick thinking and technical proficiency to effect engine and generator repairs that enabled the cutter to sail into the Black Sea during a period of heightened Russian-Ukrainian tension. As a result of her actions, the Hamilton was able to complete high visibility missions with zero lost operational days. She also identified a solution for aviation fuel pump failures that had dogged the WMSL fleet and initiated a class-wide engineering change from brass to more durable graphite pump fittings.
VICE ADMIRAL E. L. PERRY AWARD (Ashore) - given to a shoreside regular/reserve officer who has made an outstanding contribution to the Coast Guard’s naval engineering program in the past year
Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Burnett, Engineering Branch Chief, Surface Forces Logistics Center (SFLC) Patrol Boat Product Line (PBPL),
Lt. Cmdr. Burnett made cutter availability more visible, coordinated organic repair depots, and developed a maintenance/repair planning system for extended missions that enabled the first WPC drug seizure in the Eastern Pacific. Working with the Aviation and Logistics Center and Office of Cutter Forces to update the Electronic Asset Logbook system to include a new category of “Not Mission Capable for Repair” as a status of surface assets, Burnett made it easier to know when cutters are ready for deployment. He also streamlined maintenance for WPCs in 2023, allowing the cutters to enter dry dock every 45 days for vital structural repairs and required sustainment work and bolstering resources by enabling organic dry dock repair.
VICE ADMIRAL B. L. STABILE AWARD – given to a regular/reserve Chief Warrant Officer, Chief Petty Officer, Petty Officer, or Coast Guard civilian employee who has made and outstanding contribution to the Coast Guard’s naval engineering program in the past year
Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Wagner, Electronics Engineer, Surface Forces Logistics Center (SFLC) Icebreaker, Buoy, and Construction Tender Product Line (IBCTPL)
Chief Warrant Officer Wagner excelled as a leader after assuming responsibilities of Section Chief, providing expert mentorship to staff and exceptional support on technical orders and high visibility activities such as the Icebreaking tug mix gender berthing. He reduced knowledge gaps between the naval and electronics communities by leading efforts to streamline quality assurance reviews and other activities.Wagner’s knowledge of common shipboard electronics systems hastened repairs. In the wake of the pandemic and polarizing events, he also worked to improve interpersonal relations and promote a calmer workplace.
REAR ADMIRAL R. S. LUCAS PLAQUE (Afloat) - an award of excellence given to a Coast Guard cutter that has made an outstanding contribution to the Coast Guard’s naval engineering program in the past year
Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock (WLB 214) Engineering Department
Hollyhock personnel demonstrated an unwavering commitment to operational readiness by initiating major system improvements within the Coast Guard’s fleet of Seagoing buoy tenders. They completed 98% of planned maintenance on a reduced schedule and nearly $330,00 in repairs addressing crippling equipment casualties, which enabled mission execution for five major operations in addition to 2021 Spring Buoy Season. These patrols included 116 hours of ice breaking, servicing of 155 Aids to Navigation, completion of 38 boardings, and the cutters direct engagement in three search and rescue cases. Their maintenance actions also led to fleet wide engineering changes for main crane winches and Ship’s Service Diesel Generators (SSDG). The Hollyhock engineers adhere to a team culture, with all the junior engineers fully qualified in highly skilled roles such as rigger and crane operator. The commitment and preparation demonstrated by the Engineering Department resulted in Hollyhock earning the coveted Operational Readiness Excellence Award.
REAR ADMIRAL R. S. LUCAS PLAQUE (Ashore) - an award of excellence given to any non-afloat Coast Guard Naval Engineering Organization that has made an outstanding contribution to the Coast Guard’s Naval Engineering Program in the past year
Base Miami Beach Naval Engineering Department (NED MIAMI)
NED MIAMI led the enrollment of the ODMS program aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Charles Moulthrope and Coast Guard Cutter Robert Goldman. By pooling resources from within their organization they accomplished over 1,100 hours of scheduled maintenance in less than three weeks, facilitating the transatlantic crossing of newly delivered Fast Response cutters to the PATFORSWA. Upon arrival in Bahrain, they deployed technical specialists to lay the foundation for depot level maintainers overseas. To leverage their organic maintenance capabilities, NED MIAMI completed the first, full-scale, integrated Fast Response cutter organic dockside availability at Base Miami Beach Industrial Production Facility and plan to conduct up to six availabilities a year.