NIWC Pacific employee earns Women of Color STEM Technology All-Star award

ByJaimeCiciora

Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific

This month, Naval Information Warfare Center(NIWC)Pacificleadershipannounced a Center recipient for a Career Communications Group’s (CCG) 2023 Women of Color Science,Technology,EngineeringandMathematics(STEM)TechnologyAll-Staraward: Wanda Lam, a systems engineer from the Command & Control and Enterprise EngineeringDepartment.

Technology All-Stars are accomplished women of color in mid-level to advanced stagesoftheircareerswithmorethan15years ofexperience.Awardeesarechosenfortheir excellence in their workplaces and communities

As the lead for a high-visibility program supportingaChiefofNavalOperations-level effort to provide Naval Operational Architecture to the entire fleet, Lam is responsiblefor“themanagement,coordination,team design,processimprovement,andefficiency in support of implementing NIWC Pacific’s strategic goals, said Mike McMillan, NIWC Pacificexecutivedirector.

“Ms. Lam led the United States Marine CorpsCommonHostingEnvironmenteffort and provided engineering and policy guidance Ms. Lam brought together the best capabilities of industry and the Department ofDefensetoresetthewaytheNavysecurely delivers new software. The consequences of this effort are revolutionary, reducing software integration and delivery times from monthsandyears,todaysandweeks.”

Lam says she’s honored to receive the recognition. “This award is very special to me, especially when I read about the CCG’s unique mission and their awards To me, it is not an individual recognition but a reflectionofwhoweareandwhatwedoatNIWC Pacific. We are a multi-cultural and diversifiedcommunityofhighperformingscientists, engineers, financial analysts, and support specialists who are striving for success We bring technologies and capabilities to the warfighter Iamhonoredtobeselectedinthis categoryfor2023.Iamthankfulformyleadershipwhobelievedinmeandotherwomen atNIWCPacific.”

When asked to clarify her role Lam said “my ‘official’ title is computer scientist. Currently, I am a systems engineer Systems engineering focuses on designing, integrating and managing complex systems over theirlifecycles ThatisexactlywhatIdo The systemcouldbesinglepurposeorasystemof systems with thousands of users And that’s thefunofworkingatNIWCPacific Wehave an infinite number of systems to work on basedonyourareaofinterest.”

LamstartedherSTEMcareerattheCenter asafront-enddeveloperwithinthesoftware developmentfieldforeightyearsbeforetransitioningtothesystemsengineeringfield.She has worked with all armed forces multiple DODandfederalagencies aswellasindustry partners since joining NIWC Pacific, where she started as a contractor for two years beforetransitioningtocivilservicein1994.

“The people and culture at NIWC Pacific are the main reasons for me to love what I am doing But what inspires me every day is seeing that my small contribution is being usedbythepeopleinthefirstlineofdefense forourcountry.”

NIWC Pacific’s mission is to conduct research, development, engineering, and support of integrated command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance cyber, and spacesystemsacrossallwarfightingdomains and to rapidly prototype conduct test and evaluation, and provide acquisition, installation,andin-serviceengineeringsupport.

NSAW recognizes outstanding Sailors and civilian, promotes police officers

ByAndrewRevelos

Naval Support Activity Washington

Naval Support Activity Washington

(NSAW) recognized the Sailors and civilian employees whose work supports more than 110 tenant commands and activities across the National Capital Region including the Washington Navy Yard, the Naval Observatory, Naval Research Laboratory and Naval Support Facilities (NSFs) Arlington, Carderock and Suitland - on July 18 at the Admiral Gooding Conference Center Two of the command’s first responders were also promotedattheceremony.Capt.MarkBurns commanding officer,thankedrecipientsand familymemberswhoattended.

ThaitiaWard-BrookswasfirsttoberecognizedwithaLengthofServiceAwardandpin for her 15 years of loyal service to the federal government;policeSgt.JermaineArmstrong wasrecognizedfor10yearsofloyalservice.

Culinary Specialist 1st Class Winesha Pierre was selected at the NSAW Sailor of theQuarterfor“outstandingperformanceof duties”servingasvenuemanagerforNSAW.

“Petty Officer Pierre was instrumental in planning and executing a luncheon for the former Secretary of Defense at the Visiting Flag Quarters,” according to the award citation. “Additionally, she raised $3,000 for the 2022holidayparty.”

KyleHammondsreceivedaspotawardfor his tireless support of command leadership and “outstanding contribution to mission success,”accordingtothecitation.

Jennifer Smith, NSAW Security Forces, waspromotedtothepolicerankofsergeant; her husband Steve attended the ceremony andpinnedonhernewrank Aaron Samchunk, NSAW Security Forces waspromotedtothepolicerankofmajor;he was pinned by NSAW Security Forces Chief Col ByronBailey.

NSAW said goodbye to three Sailors, including Pierre, who received end of tour awardsfortheirworkatthecommandbefore movingontoanewassignment

Chief Fire Controlman Kyle Gregory received the Navy and Marine Corps CommendationMedalforservingasleading chief petty officer from March 2021 to July 2023 Gregorycontributedtotheinstallation of three counter-unmanned aerial system projects and “attained authority to operate for two naval support activities and seven supportfacilities,”accordingtothecitation.

ChiefMaster-at-ArmsBrianCobbreceived a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for serving as leading chief petty officer from August 2020 to August 2023 “He led a security force of 183 Sailors and civilianpersonnelinsafeguarding33,000federal employeesacrosssevenbasesintheNational CapitalRegion,”accordingtothecitation Pierre, already recognized as the command’sSailoroftheQuarter,receivedthe NavyandMarineCorpsAchievementMedal for serving as building manager from April 2021 to September 2023 “She conducted 90 fire inspections and corrected 55 maintenance actions, resulting in zero discrepancies, accordingtothecitation.

After the presentation of awards and promotions, Burns provided updates to the groupandthankedmembersofthecommand for their responses to NSAW’s Command ClimateSurvey Whilethecommandcarefullyconsidersall thefeedbackitreceived,Burnssaidthesurvey indicatedtheneedforadditionalanti-suicide training, especially for the command’s first respondersintheSecurityForces “Thatjumpedoutatme,”hesaid.

As part of the command’s response, Security Forces are partnering with Baltimore County to offer suicide prevention training for first responders on Oct. 4, in addition to theresourcesofferedbytheFleetandFamily SupportCenterandregularNavy-widetraining “We offer the training, but we’ve got to go toit,”Burnsadded “We’vegottoparticipate The biggest line of defense against suicide is foreachofustolooktoourleftandrightand checkonourshipmates.”

NSAW’s senior enlisted leader, Command Master Chief Jay Jackson, announced upcomingexamsforSailorsandencouraged themtobeprepared

“Examinations are coming up, he said. “For those of you taking the examinations, for those of you who have Sailors taking the exams:masterwhatyoucancontrol.Nobody can take the test for them, nobody can study for them. The better they score on that test, thebetterthechancesfortheiradvancement. Thatistotallywithintheircontrol.”

Jacksonalsoannouncedupcomingtraining forfirstclasspettyofficers chiefpettyofficers andofficers toimprovethecommand’sevaluationwritingskills.

Congratulations to all who were recognizedandpromoted!

Q: Whattypesoffamily housingareavailable?

A: There are three types of housing available to families:

Public/PrivateVenture(PPV)

Housing is also referred to as privatized housing in the Navy

The Navy partnered with different private management companies to provide housing to Service Members. These companies are responsible forthe construction, renovation,maintenance and day-to-day management ofthe housing PPVhousing may be located on oroffgovernment property and in most cases will be formermilitary housing GovernmentOwned (also known as Military Housing orNavy Managed Housing is what was formerly called on-base housing While only available in limited quantities CONUS,Government Owned Housing is still widely available OCONUS.

CommunityHousing is any housing that a Service Member may choose that is not PPVor government operated This is housing outside ofthe base that is privately owned and operated

NAVY HOUSING

Norfolk: 757.445.2832

JEBLCFS: 757.462.2792

Oceana/DamNeck: 757.433.3268

Yorktown: 757.847.7806

Mid-Atlantic Fleet and Family Support Centers (FFSC) programs and services are designed to help you make the most of your military experience, and they’re all available to you at no cost.

FUNCTIONSAND/OR

SERVICESFFSCPROVIDES:

ClinicalCounseling – Individual, Couplesand ChildCounseling

Personal Financial Management

Information & Referral

Family EmploymentAssistance

TransitionAssistance

FamilyAdvocacy Program

Deployment and Mobilization Support

Ombudsman Support

RelocationAssistance

Parenting Programs

Stress andAngerManagement

Command Support

Crisis Support

Suicide Prevention

SAPR Support