BY LIANE NAKAHARA- TAMPA, FLORIDA – Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard will be presented the top Department of Defense (DoD) depot-level maintenance award in a special ceremony in Tampa, Fla., today.
The Robert T. Mason Award was presented by Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Logistics and Materiel Readiness Alan Estevez. Shipyard Commander Capt. Brian Osgood, Nuclear Production Manager Gregory “Kaipo” Crowell, and Pearl Harbor Apprentice Association President Travis Mickey accepted the award on the Shipyard’s behalf.
“Every man and woman at our Shipyard should be proud of this accomplishment,” said Osgood, who also noted this is the first time a Navy command has won this prestigious award.
The Secretary of Defense announced that the Shipyard was the recipient of the Mason Award Aug. 2. The Mason Award presentation ceremony takes place each November at the annual DoD Maintenance Symposium and Exhibition.
“Since this award was created by the Secretary of Defense, I have been waiting for a shipyard to win it,” said Rear Adm. Joseph Campbell, Naval Sea Systems Command Deputy Commander for Logistics, Maintenance and Industrial Operations. “This is a great win for our Naval Shipyards and I am so proud of Pearl Harbor.”
This award is given to the “best of the best” depot maintenance across DoD. “Depot-level maintenance” is major, high-level work performed on vessels requiring overhaul, substantial or complete rebuilding. The Shipyard was selected from 12 nominations from all military services, primarily for its “emergent” repair program and its support of the
Warfighter.
In addition to emergency repairs to vessels of great strategic importance to Naval operations, the Shipyard was also recognized for successful Virginia-class submarine support planning, facilities modernization planning, workforce shaping and development, process improvements, supporting employees in the National Guard and Reserves, and community outreach. (Note: The 17-page Shipyard 2010 Mason Award Nomination Package is posted on both the Shipyard Internet and Intranet websites.)
“It is our responsibility to provide high quality maintenance for our Navy’s fleet – a responsibility we don’t take lightly,” said Osgood. “Everything we do is with a sense of honor, courage, commitment, and Aloha.”
Eleven Shipyard employees from various departments represented the command at the symposium (see attached photo). Approximately 1,500 civilians, military personnel, contractors and defense industry partners from all armed services attended the symposium this year.
The Shipyard was one of seven DoD activities recognized at the ceremony, and the winner of the only depot activity maintenance award. Six other activities, ranging from small to large, were presented with field-level
maintenance awards.
The Shipyard will be able to display the award “traveling trophy” at Pearl Harbor for one year. The trophy will then be returned and presented to next year’s winner at the 2011 symposium in Texas.
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard is a full-service naval shipyard and regional maintenance center for the Navy’s surface ships and submarines.
It is a field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). The largest of the Navy’s systems commands, NAVSEA engineers, builds, buys and maintains naval ships, submarines and their combat systems.
Strategically located in the mid-Pacific, the Shipyard is about a week of steam time closer to potential major regional contingencies in East Asia than sites on the West Coast.
The Shipyard is the largest industrial employer in the state of Hawaii with a combined civilian and military workforce of about 4,900. The command has an operating budget of about $563 million and infuses $700 million a year into the local economy. For more information on the Shipyard, visit www.navsea.navy.mil/shipyards/pearl.
Submitted by Liane Nakahara, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard Public Affairs