ITEA 2016 T&E PROFESSIONAL AWARDEES ANNOUNCED
2016 TEST AND EVALUATION PROFESSIONAL AWARD RECIPIENTS RECOGNIZED
Special awards luncheon honors individuals and groups that have made significant contributions to advancing the Test and Evaluation (T&E) profession.
The International Test and Evaluation Association (ITEA) annually presents six (6) Professional T&E Awards to individuals and groups that have made significant contributions to advancing the test and evaluation profession. In addition, ITEA also presents the Board of Directors’ Award, the President’s Award, Energizer Award, the Chapter of Excellence Awards, and the Chapter of the Year Award to recognize individuals and Chapters for their significant contributions to the Association. The International Test and Evaluation Association (ITEA) Board of Directors and Committee Chair, Stephanie Clewer, relies on ITEA members and T&E leaders to identify and submit nominations of individuals and teams worthy of recognition by the 2016 ITEA T&E Professional Awards Program.
The following individuals and teams were recognized at the 2016 Awards Luncheon, which was held on Wednesday, October 5, 2016, during the 33rd Annual Symposium at the Hyatt Regency in Reston, Virginia.
ALLEN R. MATTHEWS AWARD – Clarence David “Dave” Brown, CTEP, Ph.D.
For the Allen R. Matthews Award, ITEA has elected to recognize the exceptional, long-time dedication to the Test and Evaluation Community of Dr. Dave Brown. Dr. Brown began his tester career at the Aberdeen Test Center in 1974 where he has worked on numerous test projects including the XM-1, the progenitor of the Abrams tank. Over the following 40+ years he has been a staunch advocate for the development of test processes and state-of-the-art instrumentation to support the development of world-class weapons systems and has constantly labored for the betterment of the T&E workforce. He forged strong mentor relationships with those entering the profession and helped expand our body of knowledge through his own work and by educating others in our discipline. All of these efforts have been in pursuit of excellence in support of Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and industry acquisition efforts. Dr. Brown was also one of the fist recipients of the prestigious Certified Test and Evaluation Professional (CTEP) designation that recognizes those individuals who demonstrate that they have the: Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities that are required to meet the level of competency that has been identified by T&E subject-matter experts (SMEs); Commitment to maintain currency in the field; and, Dedication to advancing the T&E profession. ITEAis pleased to recognize Dr. Brown as the well-deserved 2016 recipient of the prestigious Allen R. Matthews Award.
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – SBIRS System Test Team
The SBIRS STT receives this award for outstanding special achievement as the Lead Developmental Test Organization in the Air Force Space and Missile System Center (SMC) for a critical joint Government-Industry effort to substantially enhance mission performance and consolidate system operation of SBIRS. The STT displayed superb professional expertise, astute judgment, and uncommon initiative in leading SBIRS system test planning, execution, and closure. The team’s adept use of information technology culminated in a highly successful 16-week series of tests involving 25 detailed test procedures executed at six geographically dispersed locations which leveraged subject matter expertise of a team of more than 60 senior engineers, analysts, and technicians. Despite significant disruptions and two major snowstorms, his exemplary planning allowed the test program to execute on schedule. The STT’s expert use of information technology allowed subject experts to concur technically on all 124 verification and validation objectives despite a nominal timeline which predicted closing only 54 objectives. The SMC commanding general approved the SBIRS program to proceed towards operational acceptance, praising the outstanding system test program as the “gold standard.” The STT’s technical expertise and leadership reflect great credit on SMC, the Air Force, and the individuals of the team.
RICHARD G. CROSS AWARD – Craig Nixon
As a professor at the USNTPS, Mr. Nixon has provided exceptional contributions to the DON and DOD T&E community during his 22 year career in flight test and flight test instruction. He has advanced the professionalism and expertise of Navy’s aviation T&E workforce and directly assisted in the fielding of advanced aviation weapon systems for U.S. and Allied Forces. Mr. Nixon is an experienced test pilot, and the flight test professionals he has trained have gone on to support virtually every aviation acquisition program in the DoD. A highly regarded expert in the flight T&E community, Mr. Nixon has frequently been called upon to advise T&E and Acquisition Leadership on critical flight test issues. He has been recognized by T&E professional organizations for his expertise, including the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and the American Helicopter Society. Mr. Nixon has mastered the art and science of flight test and spread the wisdom gained to aviation programs across DOD by direct involvement, or through the T&E flight test professionals he has trained. Virtually every DOD aviation-related program for the past two decades has benefited from Mr. Nixon’s contributions to aviation T&E, and his influence will endure for generations to come.
PUBLICATIONS AWARD – Richard A. Kass, Ph.D.
Dr. Kass’ article titled “Twenty-one Parameters for Rigorous, Robust, and Realistic OT,” which was published in The ITEA Journal of Test and Evaluation bridges the gap between Design of Experiment (DOE) statistical procedures and actual test range practices. Through practical examples and illustrations, this paper explains how test range procedures for instrumentation and simulation development and accreditation, player survey development and administration, data collector training, threat emulation, as well as sequencing test trials and monitoring trial progress are all essential for DOE implementation into field tests. The proposed 21 parameters logically connects these range procedures to the distinctive requirements for test rigor, test robustness, or test realism. Importantly, this logical framework permits testers to assess tradeoffs and alternatives under constrained test resources. A handy checklist for testers is provided with procedures to assess potential test rigor of upcoming record trials after initial pre-test trials; and methods for assessing overall test rigor posttest for insights aimed at improving future test range procedures.
TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – TEAM HAVE LIGHT
Team HAVE LIGHT, an Air Force Test Center, Air Force Materiel Command team comprised of personnel from the 96th Test Group, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and the 775th Test Engineering Group distinguished themselves from 1 July 2015 through 30 June 2016. The team pioneered the development of new electro-optic sensor flight test analysis techniques and simultaneously improved the efficiency for electro-optics flight test and evaluation. Additionally, the team developed a low-cost test capability through extensive modification of a C-12J to act as an airborne electro-optic sensor test-bed. This team educated the flight test community on modernized flight test techniques and embraced the benefits associated with a cross-organizational team. When coupling the development of the advanced flight test techniques with the new low-cost capabilities afforded by the C-12J electro-optics test-bed, a 90 percent reduction in flight test hours and 95 percent reduction in flight test costs were realized. The accomplishments of this team were institutionalized through incorporation into the curriculum at the United States Air Force Test Pilot School and will enable significant improvement in the quantitative performance evaluation of future enhancements to electro-optic sensor capability. The distinctive accomplishments of Team HAVE LIGHT reflect credit upon themselves and the United States Air Force.
JUNIOR ACHIEVER AWARD – O’Bryan Darnell Woods
For outstanding service as a junior Test & Evaluation professional while serving as a Live Fire Analyst and Operational Test Project Officer at the Marine Corps Operational Test and Evaluation Activity. Mr. Woods excelled in all aspects and facets of T&E, from Live Fire program execution to evaluation methodology improvement, to test process modification. Mr Woods crisscrossed Afghanistan as a Forward Operational Assessment Team member collecting, analyzing, and evaluating Mine Rollers and portable Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. He led the Live Fire effort for the Logistic Vehicle System Replacement Underbody Improvement Kit , Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement Survivability Improvement, along with providing additional support on the Enhanced Combat Helmet , Amphibious Combat Vehicle , and Amphibious Assault Vehicle Survivability Upgrade programs. He proactively developed an overarching Injury Scoring methodology, a definitive Operational Survivability resolution process, and was a driving force in transitioning the Live Fire community to engineered soil test-beds for Live Fire events. His hard work and dedication as a T&E leader has resulted in him being assigned as both the Operational Test and Live Fire Project officer for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.
ENERGIZER AWARD – Lena Moran
For exemplary performance and unwavering commitment during the period July 2015 through June 2016, while serving as the Exhibit and Event Coordinator for the International Test and Evaluation Association (ITEA). Ms. Lena Moran embodies the tenets of the “Energizer Award” through her selfless commitment in the planning and execution of the System-of-Systems Conference and the Test Instrumentation Workshop, as well as serving on the Events Committee of the ITEA Board of Directors. Volunteers are at the heart of ITEA’s success and Ms. Moran’s cooperation, dedication, and professionalism reflect greatly upon herself, the Test and Evaluation Community, and the International Test and Evaluation Association.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ AWARD – Douglas D. Messer
The Board of Directors’ Award is presented to an individual who has contributed to the growth, development, goals, and mission of the Association. The 2016 ITEA Board of Directors is please to recognize Doug Messer for his proven leadership and guidance throughout the years to the Association and the Board of Directors. From service at the Chapter level with the White Sands Chapter, running ITEA Workshops, coordinating Exhibits and Sponsorships for the Annual Symposium, and as the ITEA Events Committee Chair, he has been a champion for ITEA and our membership. Doug has worked and continually championed White Sands Chapter Workshops starting back in the late 1990’s when the first Modeling and Simulation Workshop was held in Las Cruces, followed by the Live Virtual and Constructive Workshops starting in 2009, and continuing through the present with the System of Systems Workshops in El Paso. Doug has served for the past 12 years as the President of the White Sands Chapter. Doug served for three years as the ITEA Exhibits and Sponsorships Chair and coordinator when we lost Milt Strickland and before we were able to hire Bill Dallas. It was during this role when Doug met and married has lovely wife and best friend Katie. Doug also served for 4 years as the ITEA Events Committee Chair. Doug has worked in some capacity in all of the Symposiums over the past 10 years. Doug is a “Can Do” guy and no job is too large or small when he is asked to serve. Finally, Doug is just a pleasure to work with. He has the heartfelt appreciation of the ITEA Board of Directors for his service to our organization. We look forward to his continued presence at the ITEA meetings, and look forward to his participation with ITEA for many more years to come. Doug will always have the Board of Directors’ gratitude for all he has done. Thank you Doug, for a job well done!
PRESIDENT’S AWARD – Kathi Swagerty
The 2016 ITEA President’s Award is reserved for an individual who selflessly steps up to assist the president in the execution of the organization’s goals and missions. I am presenting the 2016 ITEA President’s Award to Kathi Swagerty who serves as Secretary of the Valley of the Sun Chapter in Phoenix, and the Chairperson of the ITEA National Corporate Development Committee. In her corporate development role, Kathi is always thinking of new ways to add value to existing members and to entice new participation. She recently brought innovative ideas such as bundling packages for corporate members, reduced rates for first time exhibitors and worked with Flash Gordon to restructure Journal Ad costs. Her efforts to support ITEA at both the National and Chapter Level have resulted in increased membership and quality workshop educational opportunities. It is with great pleasure that we recognize Kathi for her hard work and leadership to our membership and community.