Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Navy League National President Daniel B. Branch Jr. presented the Vern Clark and James L. Jones 2009 safety awards May 5, during the Secretary of the Navy Luncheon at the Sea-Air-Space Exposition.
Awards were presented to the following individuals and units with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps:
Adm. Vern Clark Safety Award, Individual: Petty Officer Floyd R. Smith, USS Simpson.
Adm. Vern Clark Safety Award, Command: Naval Construction Training Center, Port Hueneme, Calif.
Gen. James L. Jones Award, Individual: Master Sgt. Mildred E. McIntyre, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Gen. James L. Jones Award, Command: Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463.
"Making sure people do the right thing, making sure they come home safely, either from work or from deployment, is critically important to the Navy and Marine Corps. I want to thank the winners for leading by example and for your incredible attention to safety," Mabus said during his remarks after the presentations.
Smith was honored for his exceptional leadership in re-invigorating the guided-missile frigate Simpson’s safety program, which resulted in the correction of more than 700 safety discrepancies in fiscal 2009 and greatly enhancing safety for more than 200 Sailors, civilians and family members. His innovative leadership and technical acumen also saved the command more than $20,000 in repairs conducted by the ship’s safety petty officers.
The Naval Construction Training Center of Port Hueneme, Calif., was honored for delivering safe — yet most realistic — training to more than 8,500 Navy and Air Force students. The center concluded its fiscal 2009 training year with a 70.8 percent mishap reduction rate, having reduced mishaps from 65 in 2008 to 19 in 2009, with zero fatalities or lost-time cases on or off duty. Additionally, the canter achieved a 99 percent safety training completion rate for staff personnel.
By instilling safety practices, on and off duty, early in the careers of new Sailors and Airmen, the training center’s best practices helped instill safer work habits and behaviors that the students will take with them into their careers.
McIntyre was honored for professional achievement in the superior performance of her duties. Filling a captain’s billet, she actively promoted safety programs and initiatives during the planning and execution of numerous exercises and deployments throughout the Western Pacific, resulting in a significant reduction in operational mishaps and a 32 percent reduction in motor vehicle mishaps.
As a result of her management acumen, the command’s ground safety programs achieved zero Class A mishaps and a 15 percent reduction in off-duty lost work days.
Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 was honored for distinguished performance in heavy lift and assault support operations while serving Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, from Oct. 1, 2008, to Aug. 11, 2009, and Marine Aircraft Group 40, Marine Expeditionary Brigade Afghanistan, from Aug. 11 to Sept. 30, 2009, while flying 2,620 mishap-free flight hours and 2,135 sorties.
The awards, named in honor of former Chief of Navy Operations Adm. Vern Clark and former Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Jones, recognize individuals and service units that best exemplified and advanced a culture of safety during the previous calendar year.
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