Jason McDonald, an Operations Manager in the Security Assistance Management Directorate (SAM-D) for the Army Communications-Electronics Command's (CECOM) Integrated Logistics Support Center (ILSC), was one of three CECOM employees recognized by a pre...
ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- Annually, the U. S. Army Materiel Command (AMC) confers its top award, the prestigious Louis Dellamonica Award for Outstanding AMC Personnel of the Year, to only 11 of its more than 64,000 employees. Three of those winners for 2017 come from the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM).
Jason McDonald, an Operations Manager for CECOM's Integrated Logistics Support Center (ILSC), was one of the CECOM three. McDonald is assigned under the CECOM umbrella and works for the Security Assistance Management Directorate (SAM-D) reporting to the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command.
"Essentially, I worked on the replacement of the acquisition requirements database system known as ARMS," McDonald said. "This system was the Army's interface with Army Contracting Command (ACC) for every acquisition. We replaced it using an existing framework in Sharepoint and created a brand new interface for SAM-D to interact with ACC's Foreign Military Sales Branch. This included the stand-up an entirely new workflow. The new workflow brought new nomenclature, new standard operating procedures, new workload acquisition and the like in Sharepoint's document repository and required workforce training and training materials. And ongoing development created changes that required immense coordination throughout the process as well."
McDonald is a home-grown talent. After graduating from the University of Delaware and spending ten years in environmentally-related fields, he entered the CECOM intern program then at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.
"Jason's meticulous attention to detail and consistent pursuit of excellence has elevated his division's performance to be one of the best throughout the Security Assistance Enterprise," Said James Meredith, Director, Security Assistance Management Directorate. " He and the SAMD CENTCOM division have provided outstanding Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, & Reconnaissance support to our coalition partners throughout the Central Command Area of Responsibility; specifically to the critical countries of Iraq and Afghanistan.
"This award only serves to formally document not only the inspiring work he does but also the work of the team in support of building strategic readiness."
McDonald is grateful for the recognition; he expects to continue his progression through the CECOM enterprise or feels he can explore options across the Security Assistance Enterprise.
McDonald's system continue to work well, accomplishing acquisition requirements. According to McDonald, CECOM is one of the top commands in meeting acquisition metrics, consistently scoring in the high 90% percentile for such metrics.
"The award is affirmation that the scope and breadth of what we do is keenly important," McDonald said. "Winning the award publicizes the importance of what we do. People here (at CECOM) are not all that aware of SAM-D. Most don't know what we do and this can cement that what we do is quality work for our Warfighters and collation partners.
"The work we do enables us to empower our foreign partners to fight their wars and protects our Soldiers by keeping them out of that harm's way.
"I had no idea the award existed," he closed. "I didn't know I was nominated. And even though I was lucky enough to win, the award reflects greatly on a great CECOM team effort. I am humbled my supervisors saw fit to nominate me."
Annually, AMC military and civilian employees below the rank of General Officer and Senior Executive Service are nominated for this award from across the organization, which spans all 50 states and more than 150 countries, and is comprised of more than 64,000 employees.
The recognition is awarded to AMC employees whose work accomplishments have significantly contributed to Army Materiel Command's mission, goals and objectives, and who have demonstrated an ability to inspire coworkers to improve the efficiency and quality of their work. The award is named in honor of Louis Dellamonica, a general engineer whose 65-year career at Hawthorne Army Depot, Nevada, exemplified integrity, innovation, leadership and outstanding dedication to Army Materiel Command's mission.
Other CECOM 2017 Dellamonica Award winners included fellow ILSC members Walter L. Hall, an ILSC Program Analyst, and Charlie R. Gonzalez, a Supervisory Logistics Management Specialist, also from ILSC.
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