Standardization Program presents annual achievement awards; Department Of Defense news release (March 13, 2008).

Three individuals and five teams have won awards from the Defense Standardization Program Office for outstanding contributions to the Department of Defense last fiscal year. Since 1987, DSPO has recognized individuals and organizations that have effected significant improvement in quality, reliability, readiness, cost reduction, and interoperability through standardization.

The DSP mission is to identify, influence, develop, manage, and provide access to standardization processes, products, and services for warfighters and the acquisition and logistics communities. In addition, the program promotes interoperability and assists in reducing total ownership costs and sustaining readiness.

Individual award recipients for 2007 are James Todd, engineer, Army's program manager for training devices, Program Executive Office, Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation, Orlando, Fla. Todd was instrumental in the development and implementation of standards for the Future Army Systems Integrated Target. Jack Mills, director, Naval Air Systems Command, Fleet Readiness Center, Executive Information Systems Division, implemented a standardized structure and process for software development and life-cycle management of the Naval Air Systems Command's Depot Maintenance System. Also recognized was Thomas Hess, electronics engineer, Defense Supply Center Columbus. Hess made outstanding contributions to revisions of the military performance specification for microcircuits. The revised document addresses the current engineering and technical needs of the space community, military agencies, and DoD equipment manufacturers for robust military and space grade microcircuits.

Team winners include Naval Air Systems Command, DoD Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System Operation Support Facility. By implementing lessons learned and applying the standardized process procedures, the Navy team has been able to provide OSF support to the entire STARS community more quickly and with fewer resources than would be possible if each Service had its own OSF. Members of that team include Kathi Chesser, Adam Osborne Jr., Mark Minik, Kenneth Cole, and Michael Corrigan.

Also named as a team winner was the Air Force Materiel Command, Aeronautical Systems Center, Engineering Directorate, Aerospace Fuels Certification Military Handbook team. This team documented the certification process in Military Handbook 500, aerospace fuels certification. The new process is expected to reduce conversion to no more than three years for all weapon systems, ground support equipment, and refueling infrastructure and significantly reduce conversion costs. Members include James Edwards, Virgil Regoli, Martin Lentz, William Likos, and Edwin Wells.

Other winning teams are all from the Defense Logistics Agency, including the Defense Supply Center Columbus, improved power ratings for standard chip resistors covered by Military Performance Specification MIL-PRF-55342 Team. This joint DLA/Army team overhauled the military performance specification for standard chip resistors to incorporate improved power ratings. As a result of this effort, DoD can upgrade the existing part designs to improve power ratings rather than introduce new parts into the logistics systems. Members include Andrew Ernst, Jeffrey Zern, and Jeffrey Carver.

Also from the Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Supply Center Richmond, was the team for implementation of polyurethane antenna gaskets and tape to mitigate corrosion of DoD aircraft. This joint DLA/Coast Guard team implemented the use of new anticorrosion polyurethane gasket material and tape for antenna and floorboard applications on military aircraft. The use of this new material reduces or eliminates corrosion of antennas and airframes; simplifies removal of components; and allows for extension of maintenance cycle, which gives personnel more time to perform other maintenance tasks. Members are Ned Pruitt, Craig Matzdorf, Dick Kinzie, Steve Carr, and Larry Cornwell.

Another winning group is the Defense Logistics Agency's Defense Energy Support Center team for standardization of fuels, equipment, training, and laboratory operations. This team standardized critical fuels equipment and consolidated fuels training for military services and theater combatant commands. The team published a joint performance specification for collapsible fuel tanks, assisted with revising Society of Automotive Engineers Aerospace Standard 5877, developed policy to reduce the number of different fuel filter elements, and merged lesson plans and consolidated fuels quality training. Members are Larry Woolverton, Shawn Simon, Richard Iwanski, James Eberhardt, and William MacLaren.