Photo By Victoria Arel | Officer in Charge of Construction Portsmouth Naval Shipyard announced Aaron Belanger...... read more read more
Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Officer in Charge of Construction Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (OICC PNSY) announced its Civilian and Military Engineers of the Year award selections for 2023.
“I’m pleased to congratulate and share our OICC PNSY Engineer of the Year award winners,” said Capt. Frank Carroll, commanding officer, OICC PNSY. “Aaron Belanger, E.I.T., an electrical engineer, was selected as our Civilian Engineer of the Year, and Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Thomas, P.E., Executive Officer, and Operations Officer was selected as Military Engineer of the Year.”
Each year, NAVFAC echelon 3 and 4 commands select their Civilian and Military Engineer of the Year in a highly competitive process. The winners go on to compete for the NAVFAC Engineer of the Year awards, as well as potentially higher honors in the National Society of Professional Engineers’ Federal Engineer of the Year award program.
Belanger, a resident of Newton, New Hampshire, has served as the sole electrical engineer and subject matter expert for all electrical utility and building systems. During the last two years he has supported 14 projects with a total construction value of over $2.2 billion, while also serving as the design manager on many additional projects.
“The OICC PNSY portfolio of large-scale and diverse projects presented a great opportunity to challenge all aspects of my career growth,” said Belanger. “This experience encouraged me to take a step back and acknowledge the larger picture as I worked through decision-making processes. It also helped to develop my communication abilities and widen my skill set. I am honored to have been chosen as the OICC PNSY Civilian Engineer of the Year and appreciate the recognition of my efforts in support of the mission.”
According to Carroll, “Much of Aaron’s success can be attributed to the strong relationships he builds. Whether working with internal teams, contractors, or other stakeholders, these relationships enable him to deliver quality projects, often overcoming complex challenges, to support the mission of the U.S. Navy.”
Lt. Cmdr. Thomas, who received his commission in 2008, hails from Fort Washington, Maryland, has demonstrated exemplary engineering, construction, acquisition, and leadership skills since joining the NAVFAC team. By developing a program of 15 time-critical and complex projects, he has actively led the OICC PNSY portfolio valued at $2.4 billion.
“Lt. Cmdr. Thomas is a shining star amongst the exceptional talent within the Navy Civil Engineer Corps community. He is well-known and respected by his subordinates, peers, and leadership and is most deserving of this honor,” said Carroll. “In addition to this award, Lt. Cmdr. Thomas has also been awarded 2023 Modern-Day Technology Leader by US BE and IT magazine.”
Thomas was a driving force in the award and subsequent initial construction phase of the Multi-Mission Dry Dock #1 project, which is a $1.8B mega-project for the construction of two state-of-the-art dry docks at PNSY. This project will double the shipyard’s Virginia-class docking and submarine overhaul capabilities, and is the largest construction project ever awarded by the Navy.
“I am grateful to be selected by the command as the OICC PNSY Military Engineer of the Year. The work being done here in support of the shipyard and the Navy has been and continues to be an exciting challenge,” said Thomas. “I’m extremely proud to be a part of this team.“
“There aren’t two more deserving individuals for this prestigious recognition,” Carroll added.
NAVFAC OICC PNSY leads the way with Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) projects and Service Life Extension Projects (SLEP), providing post-award construction oversight for over $2.8 billion of Military Construction (MILCON) and Special Projects. This organization allows for a dedicated focus on the construction of critical production support projects in support of the fleet.
| Date Taken: | 03.21.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.21.2023 14:33 |
| Story ID: | 440854 |
| Location: | KITTERY, MAINE, US |
| Web Views: | 405 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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