TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT, Pa. -- Two employees here have been recognized for their service and contributions to Team Tobyhanna.
Brian Sompel and John Scott were recently named Tobyhanna Army Depot Employees of the Quarter in the junior and senior categories, respectively, for the first quarter of 2015.
Sompel, a firefighter and emergency medical technician in the Installation Services Directorate's Fire and Emergency Services Branch, has spent more than a decade at Tobyhanna ensuring the safety of depot personnel. When not responding to fire, emergency medical services and hazardous materiel (HAZMAT) calls on-post and in the local community, Sompel performs building inspections, equipment safety checks and teaches cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)/automatic external defibrillator (AED) classes.
"Working here has given me the opportunity to acquire skills in addition to firefighting such as CPR/AED instruction, working as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and teaching the community about fire safety," said Sompel. According to his supervisor, these added responsibilities have transformed Sompel into a role model.
"Sompel's dedication to the depot is an example for all," said Fire Chief A.J. Gilgallon. "He is willing to take on extra duties and projects, and performs all tasks in a professional and respectful manner."
Sompel is certified as a CPR/first-aid instructor. As an instructor, he has saved Tobyhanna thousands of dollars and contributed to the overall safety of the workforce by allowing civilian personnel to receive CPR training at no cost to the depot.
To Sompel, being named an employee of the quarter has taught him a valuable lesson and validated his hard work.
"Having an opportunity to do what you are passionate about should never be taken for granted," he said. "Receiving this award is an honor and I am truly grateful to have been recognized."
Scott, a process improvement specialist in the Continuous Process Improvement Directorate, works hand-in-hand with employees on the shop floor to analyze processes and improve efficiency using continuous improvement methodologies. Once a Lean working environment is established, personnel are taught how to sustain processes and measure them for possible future improvements.
"I don't believe there is such a thing as perfection, but Tobyhanna can continue to succeed into the future by always looking for the next best step," he said.
One of these improvements is the Mixed Model Moving Line (M3L), a flexible assembly line project Scott helped incorporate at the shop level. According to John Nicholoff, chief of the TACSAT Systems Section, Scott's dedication to the project is highly commendable.
"Some employees might have balked at the added responsibilities, but Scott eagerly took on the task and did an excellent job as project manager," said Nicholoff.
Scott's 15 years in a wide range of disciplines at the depot gave him a unique perspective and a great deal of pride. Through it all, he credits those around him for helping shape his career.
"It is an honor to be recognized," said. "It's because of the folks I have worked with during my career that I have learned what I learned, gone where I have gone and climbed to where I am today."
Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna's Corporate Philosophy, dedicated work force and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the Joint C4ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners.
Tobyhanna's unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, technology insertion, modification, and global field support to warfighters.
About 3,100 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, which is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., the command's mission is to research, develop, acquire, field and sustain communications, command, control computer, intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors capabilities for the Armed Forces.
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