Army officers, Soldiers and civilian employees gathered at the Eisenhower Ballroom to participate in recognizing various directorates and awarding over 150 Army and civilian professionals acknowledged for their dedication to duty and commitment to service during the West Point Townhall and Awards Ceremony Sept. 27 at the U.S. Military Academy.
On behalf of Superintendent Steve Gilland and Command Sergeant Major Phil Barretto, Col. Brian Jacobs, the acting West Point garrison commander, awarded professionals representing various directorates for displaying optimal performance in their respective roles serving the community.
The recognized organizations included Individuals from the Directorate of Emergency Services, Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization, Security, Directorate of Public Works (DPW), Plans, Analysis, and Integration Office, Resource Management Office, and Army Community Services.
According to Allison Schwartz, a workforce analyst for the Directorate of Human Resources, 143 Army professionals were recognized for their storm response and recovery efforts during the catastrophic flash flood that rocked West Point on July 9, destroying infrastructures, causing road closures, and water damage to homes, while 14 were recognized for the Annual Steam Shutdown.
"Additionally, they celebrated the meticulous execution of the power plant shutdown, a critical annual endeavor to ensure the continued functionality of West Point's essential infrastructure," Schwartz said.
"This level of precision and commitment is a testament to our community's unwavering dedication to excellence."
West Point also recognized four professionals who have contributed a combined total of 120 Years of Service: Joseph Gall (40 years); Robert Brown (40 years); Rosemarie Smith (30 years); and Tyler Sperring (10 years).
Moreover, West Point firefighters, program analyst and other professionals were also recognized for their valiant efforts during the flash flood.
Jacobs commended everyone for their efforts during the flood response and expressed how grateful he felt standing amongst the awardees and shared some of his experience witnessing the flood from Fort Hamilton before he took on the garrison commander role.
"I was at Fort Hamilton over in south Brooklyn wondering how (all of you) were going to save lives and property and then when I came here and spoke to the team and saw the many awards I signed—I went through so many names and saw all the achievements and I said yes to all of them because I talked to (leadership) about the amazing people that work all over our directorates and what you did is simply amazing, so congratulations," Jacobs said.
He also emphasized the importance of garrison's role in resolving key issues that arise at West Point.
"One of the things I think about all the time (relating to) garrison employees is that when things seem bleak and uncertain, the community looks to the garrison," Jacobs said. "When gates start closing, lights get shut off ... amazing people go out and fix those problems, and you represent those people."
The awardees received their accolades in the following categories for their support during the flash flood and for time in service: the Army Achievement Medal for outstanding achievement, the Civilian Service Commendation, the Certificate of Achievement and the Length of Service Certificate.
Debra Gianetto, a West Point garrison program analyst, earned her award for displaying her technical skills as an analyst while being a dependable team member during the flood.
"It's rewarding. I'm happy to be recognized. It's nice to have your accomplishments rewarded," Gianetto said. "I work with budget, so the team and I had to address a lot of budget-related items, making sure they got processed."
Firefighters from the West Point Fire Department received their awards, with professionals like Kevin Kukkonen, a firefighter with three years of service, expressing his elation in watching his peers receive praise.
"It's a nice feeling. You don't do the job for awards or accolades, but it's good to see people get acknowledged for the hard work that they do," Kukkonen said.
In addition to receiving recognition for his efforts, Kukkonen finds that his true reward is the satisfaction he derives from carrying out his responsibilities.
"I really enjoy being a firefighter at West Point. It's a nice place to work -- beautiful area and we stay busy with different alarms and calls that go on throughout the days and nights, but it's imperative that you remain flexible and expect the unexpected," Kukkonen said. "The flood was an emergency we didn't expect to have but rest assured that your training is going to kick in to help you."
West Point firefighter Adam Grass expressed gratitude for receiving the award and shared Kukkonen's sentiments on the fulfillment he feels in serving the community.
"It's an amazing feeling. I love being recognized with my peers and being here in front of everybody with the garrison commander," Grass said. "It's a feeling like no other."
Grass firmly believes that the experience he gained while responding to the flood has significantly enhanced his readiness for upcoming natural disasters.
"Being a one in a thousand-year storm, it was an experience I'll never forget," Grass said. "So, being able to respond to all the incidents we had on post gave us a better understanding of what we can and cannot handle, and I think we will be better prepared if an incident occurs like that again."
As the ceremony concluded, everyone rose to their feet, applauding the diligent effort and perseverance carried out by members of each directorate and the rest of West Point Garrison.
"July 9th was the first 1000-year flood event at the U.S. Military Academy. Videos and pictures all over the internet went viral. People just couldn't believe the destructive nature of the flood," Jacobs said. "It was very frightening, but there are people in this room who made it less frightening, and I am absolutely proud and honored to be here amongst you all."
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