Joint Base San Antonio, Texas (Aug. 7, 2017) -- Army Medicine presented awards for Civilian Employees of the Year, safety, environmental excellence, and the MEDCOM Wolf Pack Awards at the bi-annual Command Team Leader Development Training Session (CTLDTS) on July 28, 2017.

CIVILIAN OF THE YEAR

Three employees were awarded the Civilian Employee of the Year, with selection based upon contributions to enhance the organization, professional attitude, commitment to excellence, personal initiative, and customer service during 2016.

"Receipt of these awards is recognition of the high level of excellence in performance of their assigned duties and this year's recipients have made outstanding and truly significant contributions to the AMEDD and the Army," said MAJ Danielle Hines, Chief Human Resources Actions Branch.

The MEDCOM Civilian Employee of the Year Award Recipients for 2016 are Crystal Fagan, Animal Health Technician, Public Health Activity-Fort Carson, Colo., (Category I), Jason Willard, Lead Budget Analyst, G8, MEDCOM (Category II), Dr. Robert Smith, Physician, Stuttgart Army Health Clinic, Stuttgart, Germany (Category III).

SAFETY

MEDCOM recognized safety excellence with the Exceptional Organization safety award to the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD) and MEDCOM's individual award for excellence in safety was awarded to Gregory R. Smith, Safety Manager, Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, and Mateaki E. Niko, U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity.

ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE

33 facilities and organizations were recognized with Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Awards for their commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly practices.

The System for Change Award was given to Regional Health Command-Atlantic for being an industry leader in sustainable healthcare practices.

"Army Medicine demonstrated substantial success in a significant number of environmental and sustainability programs by leveraging data and establishing system-wide goals and benchmarks. This year over 70% of MEDCOM's medical treatment facilities achieved Partner for Change Recognition status, resulting in Army Medicine being selected as a System for Change Award winner," said Hines.

Additionally, the Evans Army Community Hospital received the Green Building Circle of Excellence for having demonstrated LEED and other green building achievements over the past five years and achievements in energy and water efficiency, safer materials, regional sourcing, integration of nature, and creating high-performance healing environments.

MEDCOM WOLFPACK AWARDS

Two teams were awarded the MEDCOM Wolf Pack Award by Gregg Stevens, the Army Medical Department Civilian Corps Chief, to the Blood Products Advanced Development (BPAD) Team, U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, Fort Detrick, Md., and the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Dental & Medical Obstructive Sleep Apnea Team, JBLM Dental Health Activity, Madigan Army Medical Center, JBLM, Wash.

"The Surgeon General and the Chief of the AMEDD Civilian Corps created the Wolf Pack Award to recognize exceptional teamwork by an integrated group of military and civilian team members focused on excellence in support of Army Medicine resulting in significant impact on Army Medicine," said Stevens.

The BPAD team is working to develop Food and Drug Administration-approved products and devices to save lives on future battlefields. The team has received Milestone Development Authority approval for four critical programs that include Cryopreserved Platelets, Freeze Dried Plasma, the Whole Blood Pathogen Reduction Device, and Cold Stored Platelets in Platelet Additive Solution and expects FDA approval for the products in the 2020-2022 timeframe.

The JBLM Dental & Medical Obstructive Sleep Apnea Team had an immediate impact on Soldier Readiness by producing a workflow process to bring in active duty obstructive sleep apnea oral device referrals, which in turn increased readiness, decreased network purchased care, and significantly improved patient satisfaction and continuity of care.