Ground Warrior | Winter 2023

Page 38

2022 GEICO

MILITARY SERVICE AWARD MARINE CORPS The GEICO Military Service Awards Program recognizes enlisted members as citizens and service members. The award helps spotlight the valuable and lasting contributions that enlisted members make in their communities. Master Sgt. Joshua C. Gonzalez is the Marine Corps recipient of the 2022 GEICO Military Service Award for his preservation, packaging, packing and marking (P3&M) expertise. He is assigned to 2d Supply Battalion, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Gonzalez was an integral participant assisting the Logistics Distribution Policy Branch to restructure and develop tables of organization and equipment for the 3112/3152 military occupational specialty merger to ensure billets were staffed appropriately aligning with force design 2030. He developed and implemented cross-training with the distribution management specialists in order to perform P3&M functions before to the recently approved merger between the two fields. His forethought proved to be crucial step in establishing a baseline for training among Marines to better support the operating forces. In addition to his technical acumen, he selflessly mentors today's youth. Due to his passion for education, he coaches first-year college students. This past year, he volunteered 600 hours to the Los Angeles School District, mentoring high school students facing adversity with bullying and inspiring them to continue striving for greatness. Gonzalez has also spent over 100 hours at local juvenile detention centers mentoring adolescents to help get their lives back on track.

SAFETY SPOTLIGHT Travis Fowler

Project Development Supervisor Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MAGTFTC/MCAGCC)

As a vital member of the public works division onboard Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MAGTFTC/MCAGCC), Travis Fowler assists with the construction, maintenance and future planning of all facilities onboard the combat center. His collaborative efforts led him to partner with Brittany Holwerda, an occupational safety and health specialist, when an emerging need for a locally managed contract that could safely mitigate trauma scenes was identified. Historically, personnel were directed to clean affected areas, exposing personnel to bloodborne pathogens and mental trauma associated with cleaning surfaces affected by biological material. The team worked together to identify a contract solution that defined response times, identified cleaning procedures and specified

38

Ground Warrior Magazine

disposal processes. Fowler’s experience with specification writing and his affiliation with the Facilities Engineering and Acquisition Division team provided a unique opportunity to develop a responsive and all-inclusive contract. Like the trauma scene contract, Fowler again partnered to translate definable features of work into contract services where items such as lead, mold and asbestos can be addressed quickly and efficiently. This collaborative effort provided an excellent example of how interagency communication and teamwork can lead to improved processes and protocols directly affecting service members’ health and safety. Fowler’s efforts and actions also enable MAGTFTC and MCAGCC leadership to demonstrate their commitment to preserving the health and safety of our Marines, Sailors and civilians


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook

Articles inside

Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.