REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. (February 16, 2015) - An Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center employee has been awarded the 2014 Robert B. Tarquine Value Engineering Achievement Award by the Aviation and Missile Command.
Kevin Rees, Chief of the Maintenance Engineering Division within the Aviation Engineering Directorate, was selected for the award on the ability to lead projects initiated and completed by his personnel in the Maintenance Engineering Division which regularly exceeded the VE saving goals of AMCOM Logistics Center, AMRDEC, Corpus Christi Army Depot, U.S. Army Forces Command, and the National Guard.
"I love helping cross-functional and cross-command teams to accomplish a common goal. The best way forward is if we all win together, as captured in the motto 'one team, one fight'," Rees said. "One of the most important aspects of our division's value engineering activity is how we ensure that every organization who contributes to one of our VE projects gets a share of the credit."
According to his nomination packet, in the past three fiscal years alone AEM has returned more than 4,000 parts per year to service and successfully completed significant airworthiness engineering tasks that generated $259.3 million in validated VE savings for the Government. Without Rees's continued above-and-beyond commitment to the AMCOM VE Program savings of this magnitude would not have been possible, the nomination stated.
Rees is a lead engineer in the AEM in developing cutting edge repairs of aviation parts, components, and aircraft in support of depot and field maintenance for the warfighter. His guidance and direction to all AEM division personnel throughout the VE process has resulted in increased participation, successful initiation, and completion of 222 VE proposals.
Rees managed a multitude of cost-saving efforts including his construction of an Integrated Product Team that optimized the plastic media blasting process for removing paint from the rotor blades resulting in Corpus Christi Army Depot's ability to significantly increase depot production rates. This contributed to comprehensive engineering support that met all demands for repair assistance, critical supply relief, and aircraft readiness.
The award was presented at a meeting Feb. 12 by AMRDEC Director, James Lackey.
"As evidenced by his impressive accomplishments in the application of exceptional engineering skills coupled with an enthusiastic attitude contributed to aviation readiness, Mr. Rees has distinguished himself as a valuable asset to the directorate and U.S. Army aviation community," said Lackey.
The Tarquine Achievement Award is considered a lifetime achievement award for Value Engineering. Robert Tarquine of the PATRIOT Project Office was a benefactor of the AMCOM VE Program and the award honors him by signifying sustained achievements in Value Engineering.
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The Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to develop technology and engineering solutions for America's Soldiers.
RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command. AMC is the Army's premier provider of materiel readiness -- technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics power projection, and sustainment -- to the total force, across the spectrum of joint military operations. If a Soldier shoots it, drives it, flies it, wears it, eats it or communicates with it, AMC provides it.
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