CCAD and NASCC employees recognized for their collaborative efforts

By Kathleen Pettaway-ClarkeJune 19, 2020

Corpus Christi Army Depot, Texas – A team of Army and Navy civil service employees were recently recognized for their collaborative efforts in securing funding for security enhancements for the Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD) and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi (NASCC).

“On behalf of the Army Aviation Command, thank you” said Colonel Gail Atkins, CCAD Commander. “Making it happen took a lot of collaboration between several entities. The hardest part is seeing it to fruition.”

The Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant Program is an infrastructure grant program designed to assist defense communities that have been positively or negatively impacted by a change or announced change by the DOD.

In a 2017 press release from the City of Corpus Christi, Mayor Joe McComb said, “The City, NASCC, CCAD and the United Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce’s South Texas Military Facilities Task Force have been working together for many months on these applications.”

“Christmas has come early to Corpus Christi.” Well Christmas has come early again in 2020.

CCAD has a long-standing relationship of working together with the City of Corpus Christi, proven through their many agreements that benefit both parties.

"It is partnerships like these that enable our Depot to focus on providing quality products with pride and accuracy” said Colonel Gail Atkins

March of this year, a moment of positivity happened during the COVID-19 outbreak when Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, announced that CCAD would receive $900,000 for project infrastructure funds such as flight line security and safety enhancements.

Minh Dang, CCAD Civil Engineer, was essential in assisting the team with synchronization of intergovernmental agencies for the March DEAAG award.

“The advantage of having a collaboration between Army and Navy was key to the success of this project. Navy provided guidance for the Airfield design criteria and including the operational information that will be necessary for the design and execution of this project” said Dang.

The scoring of applications for the grant is based on military value, project completion, dual military and community benefit, National Defense Strategy, new missions, resiliency, cost efficiency, significance of impact and funding contributions. (https://gov.texas.gov/organization/military/grants).

“The contributions to this project were that the Army was able to continue to secure its perimeter and update the seawall,” said Benjamin Polak, NASCC Community Planning Liaison Officer.

“By doing this, it allows NASCC's Security Forces to focus its efforts on other parts of the base that are critical as well.”

In October 2019, a $3.2M DEAAG funded project was completed for new perimeter security fencing, turnstiles, surveillance systems and access controls.