Four Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) civilian employees were recently named as Secretary of Defense Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) medal recipients.
Three of the four GWOT recipients are from the Expeditionary and Maritime Systems Department (Code E) and one is from the Littoral and Mine Warfare Systems Department (Code A). NSWC PCD GWOT awardees are: Richard A. Brown (Code E26); Dr. Thomas P. English (Code E41); Theodore C. Cox (Code E23) and Bradley E. Collie (Code A24). The awards were authorized by Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command (COMNAVSEA) April 23, 2013. The civilians will receive their awards in a local ceremony June 10, 2013.
The four NSWC PCD award recipients earned their awards for providing direct technical support to U.S. Navy, U.S Marine Corps and U.S. Army mine warfare, and expeditionary and amphibious warfare support between 2010 and 2012 and to both Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. The Secretary of Defense’s GWOT medal is presented to personnel to recognize their civilian contributions and accomplishments that are in direct support of members of the armed forces engaged in operations to combat terrorism. This medal is the civilian equivalent of the GWOT Expeditionary Medal awarded to military personnel. The medal recognizes the Department of Defense’s civilian workforce who forward deploys, supports, and maintains our nation’s security.
“It is my distinct honor and privilege to award the Secretary of Defense’s Global War on Terrorism medal to these remarkable civilian employees who embody the Navy’s Total Force Policy,” said NSWC PCD Commanding Officer Capt. Scott Pratt, USN. “These men worked side by side with our nation’s fighting forces in theater to trouble shoot technical problems, deliver real-time solutions and determine future technical requirements for those on the front lines. This medal represents our nation’s deep gratitude for their selfless dedication and further demonstrates the intellectual capital and technical rigor that resides here at NSWC PCD.”
Brown, whose hometown is Panama City Beach, Fla., supported the Mobile Technology Repair Complex project in Afghanistan and provided on-site engineering support to deployed troops at Forward Operating Bases throughout 2012.
Collie, who is from Fresno, Calif., led the in-theater CEIA metal detector training program training over 400 U.S. Army Infantry, Combat Engineer, and Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Personnel from Aug. 9, 2012 to Nov. 8, 2012 for the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) and the United States Army Research Laboratory’s (ARL) Sensors and Electronics Integration Technology Office (SEITO) in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Cox, whose hometown is Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., was assigned to the Joint Logistics Operations Center where he served as the Director of Public Works at Contingency Operating Base Delta in Al Kut, Iraq from November 2010 to October 2011.
English, whose hometown is Fairview Park, Ohio, was assigned to Headquarters, United States Forces Afghanistan and served as the Theater Systems Safety Manager from August 2010 to September 2011.
