Work ethic, attitude take top honors in competition

By Ms. Jacqueline Boucher (AMC)April 12, 2011

Work ethic, attitude take top honors in competition
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Work ethic, attitude take top honors in competition
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TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT, PA. - Two employees earned Tobyhanna's quarterly performance awards using a positive attitude and strong work ethic.

Jason Kilmer and Kris Martin were named Tobyhanna's 2011 Employees of the Quarter for the first quarter, junior and senior categories, respectively. Martin is a logistics management specialist in the Production Management Directorate's Communications Branch. Kilmer is an electronics worker assigned to the Command, Control and Computer (C3)/Avionics Directorate's Transponder Branch.

Both have served as key players in a number of programs.

Kilmer is a member of the award-winning Sidewinder Missile Branch Shingo team. While there he created seven standard work documents that eliminated variations in critical processes. He also helped verify documents, prepare work stations and brief personnel prior to the Shingo visit.

"I work with an incredible group of people," Kilmer said of the employees who support the C3/Avionics mission. "They work really hard to help me get quality products to the warfighter."

The processes he helped put in place streamlined workflow and improved production while reducing waste, according to Joe Wassell, Avionics Division chief. Later Kilmer was appointed as the key person to help the directorate prepare for the Aerospace Standard 9100/9110 certification audit in April.

"Jason is a top performer," Wassell said. "He consistently exceeds expectations and is always willing to help his peers and subordinates to ensure the job gets done." Wassell noted that Kilmer volunteers for the most difficult tasks and always produces positive results.

Kilmer also earned accolades for his work on improving toolboxes used by technicians in the clean room. His quick response to a deficiency report resulted in procuring new foam, which is used to secure the tools, to better meet the facilities' standards.

Kilmer attributes his success and work ethic to his military background. He served eight years in the Army National Guard as a cavalry scout. He also deployed to Bosnia and Iraq to support the war on terrorism.

Teamwork is the key to Martin's success.

"Everyone I work with had a hand in earning this award," Martin said. "This is a huge honor."

Martin works on programs supporting the AN/TRC-190 mission that are valued at more than $26 million.

"One of Kris' greatest assets and contributions to Tobyhanna is his contagious can-do, positive attitude," said Gary Roberts, chief of the Communications Branch, Production Management Directorate. "He manages high dollar and high visibility programs and faces each challenge head-on, committed to resolving whatever obstacles lay in his path." Roberts is a resident of Roaring Brook.

The AN/GRC-245 and AN/VRC-90 Patriot system project brought in more than 2,900 new direct labor hours for Tobyhanna. Under Martin's watch, the radio maintenance shops consistently met customer requirements, according to Roberts.

In addition, Martin participated in multiple Lean events and other Productivity, Improvement and Innovation Directorate-sponsored activities related to the AN/TRC-190 workload. Those events yielded better inter-shop communication and lower repair cycle time and costs.

"Overall, Martin's keen ability to change, adapt, and overcome challenge has proven time and time again to be a tremendous asset to the AN/TRC-190 program and to Tobyhanna," Roberts said.

Tobyhanna Army Depot is the Defense Department's largest center for the repair, overhaul and fabrication of a wide variety of electronics systems and components, from tactical field radios to the ground terminals for the defense satellite communications network. Tobyhanna's missions support all branches of the Armed Forces.

About 5,600 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, which is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern -Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army CECOM Life Cycle Management Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., the command's mission is to research, develop, acquire, field and sustain communications, command, control computer, intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors capabilities for the Armed Forces.