NSWC Indian Head Division Recognizes Employee Achievements During 2025 Honorary Awards

NSWC Indian Head Division Recognizes Employee Achievements During 2025 Honorary Awards

By NSWC IHD Public Affairs

Indian Head, Md. -

INDIAN HEAD, Md. - Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) recognized individuals and teams making significant contributions to the command's mission during the 2025 Honorary Awards ceremony at the College of Southern Maryland's Velocity Center in Indian Head, Maryland, April 28.

"The spirit and professionalism of this command is the engine behind its mission to research, develop, test, evaluate, manufacture, and support energetics and energetic systems," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Mission Systems and 2025 NSWC IHD Honorary Awards Guest Speaker James Day. "The employees of Indian Head are the creators and innovators bringing ideas from molecule to mission. From torpedoes in the depths of the ocean to ejection seats and missiles in the skies, your work is essential to every single warfighting domain. You provide our Sailors, Soldiers, Marines and Airmen with the critical technology to detect, identify, and defeat threats around the globe."

Of the 19 awards given annually, over 100 employees were recognized by NSWC IHD leadership for their outstanding efforts and significant contributions in 2025 as an individual or part of a team.

"The awardees we're recognizing today set the gold standard for excellence," NSWC IHD Commanding Officer Capt. Steve Duba said. "I am proud of the critical work you are all doing for our government and nation. It's an absolute honor to serve alongside each of you, especially during such a consequential period in our history."

Congratulations to the following individuals and teams who were recognized:

SPIRIT OF INDIAN HEAD AWARD - RISING STAR: This award recognizes an employee or student who has less than three years of employment with the command and has already contributed in a significant manner to the mission in their short time with NSWC IHD. The contribution can be proactive initiative to improve execution to include product and process, engagement in additional areas of interest of the command, drive to improve self and their work areas/efforts, and supporting Indian Head as a whole. The employee is seen by many as a rising star. The 2025 Sprit of Indian Head - Rising Star awards were presented to five individuals: Dr. Taylor Busby (Research & Engineering Department (E)), Katy Gates (Contracts Department (02)), Keaton Hogan (Energetics Manufacturing Technology Department (M)), Elizabeth Jevitts (Warfighter Defense & Systems Integration Department (W)) and Isaiah Satterthwaite (Comptroller Department (01)).

Busby was instrumental in contributing to seven major NSWC IHD programs, providing expert subject matter support, logistical planning, customer engagement and project management leadership.

Gates awarded a $6.9 million-dollar contract providing critical materials to foreign military sale (FMS) customers, in-service engineering agents and fleet activities in just 141 days. Her attention to detail reduced processing times, directly supporting other critical Department of War (DoW) mission capabilities.

Hogan advanced hypersonic weapon capabilities by scaling up a novel propellant that improved mechanical properties by over 300%. He also successfully led the mix and cast of the largest cast-composite solid rocket motor in NSWC IHD history.

Jevitts rapidly expanded NSWC IHD's non-diagnostic medical detection portfolio, securing over $1.2 million in future funding within her first 11 months. Her strategic vision aids in overcoming programmatic barriers to ensure the fleet has critical medical detection equipment.

Satterthwaite mastered complex travel regulations to become a trusted authority at the command, seamlessly filling a critical leadership gap.

SPIRIT OF INDIAN HEAD AWARD - THE EMERGING LEGEND: This award recognizes an employee who is within eight to 15 years of employment with NSWC IHD and who has directly made multiple, significant contributions to the mission in different areas of the command, Department of Navy (DON) and DoW efforts for our mission. This can include increasing the discipline, proficiency, excellence and benefit of the warfighter by taking details to key offices, transfers to multiple areas across the command, and supporting and focusing on excelling the Indian Head mission. The 2025 Spirit of Indian Head - Emerging Legend awards were presented to Peter Cusack (Corporate Operations Department (10)) and George McDaniel (E).

As a leader in maintaining critical command infrastructure, Cusack manages the $408 million-dollar Energetics Comprehensive Moderinization Plan (ECMP) portfolio of 141 projects. He is a trusted advisor whose oversight has improved the operational capacity at NSWC IHD and the command's future readiness.

McDaniel is a leader in underwater energetics, guiding next-generation explosive formulations from lab discovery all the way to production. He manages a multi-million-dollar portfolio and emphasizes prototyping, which drastically reduces supply chain vulnerabilities and fleet risks while advancing research and development (R&D). McDaniel also makes time to mentor junior engineers across the command.

SPIRIT OF INDIAN HEAD AWARD - THE LEGEND: This award recognizes an employee who has served the Indian Head mission for 25 years or more and has made repeated and significant impacts to the mission's execution and workforce. Employee has directly made multiple, significant contributions to the Indian Head mission by influencing not only Indian Head aspects, but also DON/DoW-related mission areas. This employee is distinguished as a senior leader by peers, the command, and the workforce. Lasting impact and legacy of employee's career contributions is evident for the betterment of the mission execution now and into the future. This year's Spirit of Indian Head Legend award was presented to David Rogers (W).

Over a decades-long career, Rogers has played an indelible role creating and growing NSWC IHD's Picatinny Detachment to a 320-person team managing a $130 million annual business. Rogers' leadership helped expand the command's support to every U.S. Navy ship and weapons depot worldwide.

ROGER M. SMITH TEAM AWARD: Roger Smith, NSWC IHD technical director from October 1989 until his death in February 1999, believed the ability to work as a team was the key to continued success. This award recognizes team efforts to improve the command's performance and effectiveness in providing products and services to meet customer requirements. This year's Roger Smith Team Award recognized the Armada Team; including Sarah Addison (M), Ryan Barretta (E), Laura Blachek (E), Andrew Copeland (W), John Cox (E), Thomas Deloache (E), Dai Dinh (E), Angel Diaz (E), Stephen Elo (E), Kevin Holmes (W), Cory Kalin (M), Jordyn Myers-Gonzalez (E), Hunter Lee (M), Allison Lindsay (M), Christopher Mikus (M), Michael Moseley Jr. (M), Timothy Murray (M), Khoa Nguyen (E), Jennifer Ollom (W), Hunter Owens (M), Erik Patten (E), Gabriel Piatt (E), Noah Schaeffer (E), Annmarie Shahan (Portfolio Management Office), Kyle Shahan (W), Cory Swaim (E), Matthew Treon (E), Matthew Welch (E), Andrew Wright (E) and Leo Zuckerman (W).

The Armada Team transitioned enhanced lethality warhead prototypes to production within nine months for a high-priority DoW unmanned systems program. The team re-established critical capabilities and secured NSWC IHD as the premier energetic payload provider to the Navy's Special Warfare Program Office (PMS-340).

EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS: This award recognizes individuals whose performance or achievements in business operations are exceptional in nature, have resulted in a significant organizational contribution, and have exceeded expectations for what is required of the position. In general, the individual has helped evolve business operations with a focus on leveraging new opportunities, enhancing mission readiness and achieving execution excellence in the face of a rapidly changing warfighting environment. The 2025 Excellence in Business Operations team award was presented to the "Sprint Team" for Standard Missile Rocket Motor Alternatives: Michael Bottass (Command (00)), Christina Entzian (02), Julie Greaves-Jacko (02), Rachel Luther (02) and Cynthia Martin (Office of Counsel (00L)). The individual 2025 Excellence in Business Operations award was presented to Jessica Schombs (E Department).

The multidisciplinary Standard Missile Rocket Motor Alternative "Spirit Team" worked with industry to create an awardable contract to qualify new alternative rocket motors for the Standard Missile family, mitigating supply chain threats and ensuring continued fleet readiness.

Schombs established the E Department Acquisition Office (EAO) in June 2025, revolutionizing the department's business structure by reducing procurement turnaround 75%. Schombs' management of the EAO team's $401 million portfolio resulted in faster transition from initial requirement to fielded solutions.

EXCELLENCE IN SAFETY EXECUTION AWARD: This award recognizes an individual or group who made a significant effort to enhance safe work practices in their area. This year, two awards recognize an individual and group whose significant efforts enhance safe work practices in their area. Two awards were presented. The first 2025 Excellence in Safety Award was presented to E Department's Drone Dominance Team: Stacy Ashley, Diem-Thy Barsell, Raymond Bruce, Jadyn Cain, 1LT Brian Harbison, Lam Nguyen, Devin Rummelhoff, Seth Strait, LaToia Sudler, Nicole White and Brandon Yarberry. The second 2025 Excellence in Safety Award recognizes Calvin Hargrett (Ordnance Assurance & Safety Office).

The Drone Dominance Team revolutionized wartime acquisition by developing a rapid safety framework that secured system review board concurrence in a record-breaking 77 days. Their innovative processes enabled the safe, immediate fielding of drone systems that have since achieved a 100% combat success rate.

As the Inventory Accuracy Officer, Calvin Hargrett supported NSWC IHD in achieving nearly 99% inventory accuracy during a critical ammunition audit, exceeding requirements and ensuring accountability across three command locations, including NSWC IHD main site, Stump Neck Annex and Expeditionary Exploitation Unit-ONE (EXU-1).

EXCELLENCE IN SYSTEMS ENGINEERING AWARD: This award recognizes excellence in systems engineering proficiency as applied to execution of roles within projects or improvements to corporate pillar area processes, tools, metrics and knowledge and is awarded to an individual or group who demonstrate an ability to implement a high degree of technical proficiency in systems engineering to ensure the most effective and efficient methods, tools and proficiency are applied. Luis Bonilla-Cruz (E) is the recipient of the 2025 Excellence in Systems Engineering Award. Bonilla-Cruz's systems engineering expertise supporting the Mark 70 Production Using Salvaged Hardware (PUSH) project has helped NSWC IHD establish and further develop robust production capabilities, providing the Navy with critical surge capacity for maritime operations.

EXCELLENCE IN QUALITY EXECUTION AWARD: This award recognizes excellence in applying quality program proficiency during execution as it relates to command quality control systems. Excellence in quality is essential to realizing consistent delivery and demand for products and services. The team Excellence in Quality Execution Award for 2025 went to the Mark 152 Warhead Production Team (M): Shawn Gnoffo, Xavier Harley and Christopher Mikus. The individual 2025 Excellence in Quality Execution Award was presented to John Packard (M)

The Mark 152 Warhead Production Team streamlined Proximity Fuze Project processes to consistently meet scheduled deliveries on-time and ensure critical project objectives were met while overcoming manufacturing setbacks and intense customer pressure.

Packard drove essential propellant scale-up efforts, fostering a culture of precision that ensured the success of critical priority systems like the XM1113 and Mark 70 PUSH, while also improving weapon reliability and fleet readiness.

EXCELLENCE IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT AWARD: Project management is the application of leadership, communication and technical rigor - processes, tools, templates and personnel proficiency - to successfully execute project activities to meet organizational and customer expectations. Behind every high-quality project is a project manager who is responsible for motivating project teams and accomplishing project objectives to safely deliver quality products or services that meet customer technical requirements within budget and schedule using effective and efficient methods to execute this disciplined pillar role. The two individual recipients of the 2025 Excellence in Project Management Award are Alexander Grassi (W) and Alexis Robbins (M).

Grassi manages over 2,500 critical threat-detection systems and demonstrated outstanding leadership by orchestrating an emergency, overnight system-wide reboot. His dedication ensured continuous operational readiness for Pentagon security systems despite limited personnel and intense timelines.

Robbins lead the 10-year Mark 104 Dual Thrust Rocket Motor (DTRM) regrain program, achieving significant scale-up successes and strengthening crucial command relationships with project sponsors.

LANCE CORPORAL T. J. HONEYCUTT AWARD FOR FORWARD DEPLOYED SERVICE: The Lance Corporal T. J. Honeycutt Award for Forward Deployed Service recognizes individuals who have or are deployed to a war zone or other forward deployed location providing direct support to the warfighter. This award is named for Lance Corporal Honeycutt, who on October 27, 2010, died from injuries sustained from a roadside improvised explosive device (IED). The work done at the command is dedicated to helping warfighters protect and defend this county. This includes detecting and safely disposing of IEDs to prevent further loss of life. EXU-1's Aaron Holdren was honored with the 2025 Lance Cpl. T.J. Honeycutt Award for Forward Deployed Service after a 142-day deployment in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) area, directly linking intelligence to targeting and countermeasure operations. His collaboration with the Defense Intelligence Agency significantly strengthened U.S. and allied understanding of technical intelligence.

INTERNAL CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD: This award recognizes an employee who has provided excellent service to internal customers. There was an individual and a team award presented at the 2025 Honorary Awards. The team award was presented to the Legal Team (00L): Toya Davis, Brent Fraim, Cynthia Martin, Luke McPherson, Ashley Smith, Wayne Wisniewski, Wayne Wright and Frederic Zimmerman. The individual 2025 award for Internal Customer Service was presented to Mariel Bowling (02)

The Legal Team provided expert support while navigating complex personnel challenges, securing appellate victories and providing critical ethics counseling. Their work accelerated innovation through creative acquisition strategies and intellectual property support.

Bowling evaluated and awarded a $308 million task order for command engineering support, laying the foundation for facility modernization, equipment upgrades and the integration of SMART manufacturing technologies at NSWC IHD.

EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT AWARD: This award recognizes individuals who demonstrate exemplary contributions to the development of their colleagues, fostering knowledge management, mentorship, inclusivity and positive workplace culture attributes. The 2025 Employee Development Award was presented to Mary Sandy (02), who champions workforce development by mentoring entry-level employees and guiding new contracting officers. Sandy also manages the command's purchase-card program, ensuring seamless mission continuity through rigorous training and onboarding.

CONTINUOUS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT AWARD: This award recognizes efforts resulting in significant improvement made to administrative, business or technical processes accomplished through Lean and/or Six Sigma, yielding benefits in cost, schedule, quality and/or risk. The team Continuous Process Improvement Award was first presented to the W Department Mark 110 In-Service Engineering Agent (ISEA) Team: Joshua Banning, Christopher Conklin, Travis Eden, Joshua Elmore, William Hyde, Travis Jacobson, Aleksandr Konstantinovskiy, Frank LoPresti, Stephen Remsey, Joshua Solomon and Alexander Warriner. The individual 2025 Continuous Process Improvement Award went to Ryan Armstrong (01).

The Mark 110 ISEA Team repaired a failing gun elevation drive assembly rather than replacing it, reducing costs from $600,000 to $1,000, establishing an efficient new maintenance procedure that permanently lowers lifecycle costs.

Armstrong implemented robotic automation and migrated complex variance analyses into dynamic Power BI dashboards to revolutionize financial reporting. His use of data analytics saved thousands of administrative hours and optimized resource allocation across the command.

CAPTAIN H. E. LACKEY AWARD FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE: Captain Henry E. Lackey was the NSWC IHD commanding officer from 1917-1920. This award is given to an individual or team who, on their own time, provides significant contributions to the community. There is one team and one individual recipient of the 2025 Capt. Henry E. Lackey Award for Community Service. The team award was presented to the North Point Capstone Mentoring Team: Alyssa Cunningham (W), Lauren Perry (M), Gabriel Piatt (E), Matthew Treon (E), Daniela Wagus (E) and Alexander Wolff (E). Robert Wetherald (10) was presented with the individual 2025 Capt. Henry E. Lackey Award for Community Service.

The North Point Capstone Mentoring Team provided invaluable guidance and technical assistance to high school seniors on their engineering projects. Their mentorship enriched the students' STEM education and successfully inspired a future generation of engineers.

Wetherald organizes and leads an annual outdoor retreat with Rivers of Recovery to support the physical and emotional rehabilitation of combat veterans. His dedicated volunteer work provided a critical space for veterans to reconnect and heal through nature.

A.J. PERK OUTSTANDING OPERATOR/TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR: During his long tenure at the command, A.J. Perk was devoted to providing customers with excellent products and services by "doing the job right." He was fair, firm, decisive and cared about employee interests. This award recognizes a model employee who serves as an example to others. The 2025 A.J. Perk Outstanding Operator/Technician of the Year was awarded to Jay Cerow (E), who demonstrated exceptional dedication by overseeing explosive packing operations during a two-month deployment to a remote test facility on Wake Island in the Pacific Ocean. Cerow consistently exceeded expectations and worked demanding schedules while supporting a Naval Research Lab sounding rocket experiment.

ADMIRAL HAROLD R. STARK AWARD FOR INNOVATION: As the Naval Inspector of Ordnance in charge of the Naval Proving Grounds, Dahlgren, Virginia, and the Naval Powder Factory, Indian Head, Maryland, Admiral Harold R. Stark became the Chief of Naval Operations in 1939. This award recognizes an individual or group who advances state-of-the-art in their field of endeavor. This award was presented to both a team and an individual this year. The team 2025 Admiral Harold R. Stark Award for Innovation was presented to W Department's Underwater Magnetic and Acoustic Influence Ordnance Hazard Zone Tactical Decision Aid (TDA) Team: Charles Carpenter, Alyssa Cunningham, Muhammad Khan, Daniel McCarthy and Wesley Posey. The individual Admiral Harold R. Stark Award for Innovation for 2025 was given to Christina Kasmer (E).

The Underwater Magnetic and Acoustic Influence Ordnance Hazard Zone Team developed a software-based TDA to rapidly calculate required standoff distances for underwater magnetic and acoustic threats. The tool the team developed significantly enhances the safety of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) personnel and protects high-value naval assets.

Kasmer scaled up a castable CL-20-based combined effects explosive, which has not been done at NSWC IHD in nearly three decades. Kasmer's work is helping re-establish command capabilities in advanced CL-20-based formulation development.

JOE L. BROWNING AWARD FOR MANAGERIAL EXCELLENCE: Joe L. Browning was NSWC IHD's first technical director from 1962 - 1975. This award recognizes an individual who demonstrates innovative leadership principles and management skills of coaching and teaming in the development of personnel and their accomplishments. The award went to Thomas Mauriello (E), who manages multiple advanced testing facilities and 30 personnel, most notably overseeing operations at the Blossom Point Research Facility. Mauriello's leadership enables facilitation of critical testing for high-priority national security and joint-force drone and weapon programs.

DR. GEORGE W. PATTERSON AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENT: As chief chemist and powder expert, Dr. George Patterson is remembered for his work during his 41-year tenure, including developing smokeless and flashless gun powders. This award honors an individual for outstanding technical accomplishment supporting the command mission and advancing some area of technology. The Dr. George Patterson Award for Outstanding Accomplishments award for 2025 was presented to Dr. David Vaccarello (E) for synthesizing a novel energetic monomer and polymer, creating a new binder for high-performance propellant applications. Dr. Vaccarello's development of advanced, printable polymer systems significantly enhances the lethality and range of future munitions.

ROBERT B. DASHIELL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE: Ensign Robert B. Dashiell was NSWC IHD's first commanding officer and is known for establishing the facility, including supervision of building and acquisition of staff and materials. He was also a specialist in gun mechanical design and invented the Dashiell rapid-fire breech. This award honors an individual who within the past year has made a significant contribution to the mission or operation of the activity. The 2025 Robert B. Dashiell Award for Excellence was presented to Christopher Suda (10), who resolved a major operational bottleneck by establishing an independent test lab and validating new software. Suda's initiative reduced critical communications security device upgrade times by 89%, enabling rapid deployment of essential patches.

NSWC IHD - a field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command and part of the Navy's Science and Engineering Establishment - is the leader in ordnance, energetics, and EOD solutions. The Division focuses on energetics research, development, testing, evaluation, in-service support, manufacturing and disposal; and provides warfighters solutions to detect, locate, access, identify, render safe, recover, exploit and dispose of explosive ordnance threats.

honorary awards