Fort Huachuca, Arizona--An electronics engineer with the U.S. Army Electronic Proving Ground (USAEPG) here has been selected as April's Civilian of the Month.
Jeff Thomas, a federal employee for 32 years, serves as a senior electronics engineer, project leader and advisor involving the development, deployment and critical problem resolution for Army information systems and networks. His assignments are executed on what is considered the latest technology, often on previously untried Army concepts and capabilities. He also handles site-lead responsibilities including security, purchasing and inventories for facilities at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.
Thomas, in cooperation with Army Test & Evaluation Command (ATEC), executed new test concepts for programs such as Enterprise Blood Management System (EBMS) and Logistics Modernization Program (LMP) during the past year. He also received numerous accolades from customers for the outstanding technical support he provided while executing his duties as the senior engineer technical advisor, according to his nominator, Kenneth Haldorsen, supervisory electronics engineer, Enterprise Systems and Software Testing Division, USAEPG.
"Thomas's support of the EBMS program has made the blood donor management services more secure and riskless for the … Soldier. The LMP program will provide the U.S. Army with improved data accuracy for tracking inventory in support of these highly important business operations," Haldorsen explained on the Civilian of the Month nomination form.
"Thomas has a unique capability to take any assignment and run with it regardless of its complexity and turn it around with remarkable gain," he said. "Such achievement were demonstrated when he relied on the Defense Connect Online (DCO) to allow remote observation of LMP testing instead of sending personnel to the testing site avoiding costly temporary duty assignments and expenditures."
This measure saved the Program Management Office more than $100,000 and, in a resource-constrained environment, allowed USAEPG to maintain critical personnel for command assignments outside of the day-to-day test windows to continue additional testing on behalf of the Soldier, Haldorsen stated, citing other instances where Thomas and his staff's quick reaction and creativity led to good relationships between USAEPG and other agencies.
"While some [people] approach this job with an attitude of 'good enough,' Mr. Thomas' attitude has never been anything short of perfection," Haldorsen said. "He is tireless in exhausting every avenue to ensure that his test execution exceeded expectations in the challenging environments while allowing cost savings to be realized for the Army.
"[Thomas] is continually requested [on a by-name basis because of] his experience and technical abilities which has brought forth outstanding achievements for the U.S. Army Electronic Proving Ground," Haldorsen added.
Thomas has been with USAEPG for 12 years and at his current assignment for one year. He and his wife, Mai, live in Tacoma, Washington. When he's not working, he focuses on his own computer work and programming. Thomas also enjoys reading and gardening.
"I don't know if I'd call it 'gardening.' I call it 'pioneering.' We get a lot of rain here and I spend a lot of time removing weeds, thorny vines, moss and tree limbs," he chuckled, comparing his outdoor time to that of the pioneers who had to continuously clear land in order to plant crops.
Thomas considers his greatest accomplishment to be maintaining a close relationship with Family and friends due to the amount of traveling he does as part of his job.
When asked what advice he has for others who want to be successful and get ahead, Thomas said to "take enough of a load off your boss so that person has time to write [you] a nomination [to be selected as Civilian of the Month]."
On a more serious note, he advised those in the working world to persevere.
"Don't let setbacks dominate your thinking. Learn from what doesn't work as well as from what works and persevere. Don't take yourself too seriously and keep working.
"Try new things. You may discover something you like better than what you are doing. Exercise mobility and adventurousness."
The electronics engineer thanked those who supported him.
"Thanks to the many people who have and continue to assist all of us. In today's environment, no one can do anything alone. We all have roles as individuals, even if you might think yours is only a small role. Thanks to everyone who has helped and continues to help. I work with many, many people, and I want to express my appreciation to everyone that has helped me. Thank you all [for your support]."
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