2004 API Awards for Excellence in Fuels Management

Navy Supply Corps Newsletter, Nov-Dec, 2004 by Joan Paquin

RADM Justin D. McCarthy, SC, SN, then Commander, Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP), announced the 2004 Navy and Marine Corps winners and runners-up for the American Petroleum Institute Awards for Excellence in Fuels Management.

The awards are presented annually under the sponsorship of the American Petroleum Institute, an internationally recognized petroleum trade organization. The awards recognize activities and personnel that made the most significant contributions to the Department of the Navy fuel operations, petroleum supply chain management and fleet fuel support. There are five award categories: Navy Bulk Fuel Terminals, Navy Retail Fuel Activities, Marine Corps Non-Tactical Activities, Marine Corps Tactical Units, and individual awards.

The following activities and personnel are recognized for their accomplishments and contributions:

Category I--Navy Bulk Fuel Terminals Winner--Naval Support Facility, Diego Garcia

NAVSUPPFAC Diego Garcia Played a key role as the primary Navy bulk fuel terminal providing outstanding fuel supply support to U.S. and coalition forces during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), while operating in an isolated environment. They demonstrated superior management and leadership ability by safely transferring 243 million gallons of fuel to U.S. Air Force and Military Sealift Command forces. This volume represents a 2:1 distribution to storage turnover ratio on the depot's storage capacity.

Activity personnel issued 88.8 million gallons of JP-5, a 420 percent increase over "pre 9/11" issue rates and provided superior allied fuel logistics to support cargo aircraft from eight foreign countries.

Category II--Navy Retail Fuel Activities Winner--Naval Base Ventura County, Calif.

NBVC transformed an aging 1950s era fuel facility into a world-class complex at relatively little cost to the taxpayers. Personnel pursued modernization improvements, environmental enhancements and engineering concepts, including completion of a new seismic shutdown system at Point Mugu; full rehabilitation of the CBC Port Hueneme government gas station; and completion of two new JP-5 issue stands with energy efficient motors/pumps, electronic safety systems, and overfill protection. Over 80 percent of the materials used were assets reclaimed from the Marine Corps Air Station E1 Toro closure. They contributed to the Navy and Marine Corps mission in 2003, supporting preparations of four battle groups deploying to Iraq.

Category III--Marine Corps Fuel Activities Winner--Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Japan

MCAS Futenma is operated solely by Marines and Sailors. The Fuels Division distinguished itself by conducting over 10,000 fueling operations and handling over seven million gallons of JP-5 without incident, fuel spill, or failed mission. The defueling operations recovered over 248,000 gallons of JP-5, which was credited back to the squadrons, saving the Marine Corps over $230,000 in 2003.

The Station Fuels HAZMAT site, considered the most complete site in the area, has been regularly toured and is used as an outstanding example by local HAZMAT inspectors when conducting classes. This group also excelled at providing fuel support to station, tenant and transient aircraft, and Marine Air Group-36 Test Cell and Ground Support Equipment 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Category IV--Marine Corps Tactical Units Winner--1st Bulk Fuel Company, 7th Engineer Support Battalion, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

The Marines of 1st BFC, 7th ESB ensured continuous fuel support during Operation Iraqi Freedom which allowed the Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) to push inland over 600 miles. Their innovative thinking resulted in fielding new concepts, like the employment of an inland distribution system developed from organic equipment to provide fuel support during OIF. They installed a 58-mile system during the worst sand storm in 20 years, and provided timely fuel delivery to units engaged in the Battle for An Nasiryah. Detachments were sent to Baghdad and Ad Diwaniyah to establish a 300,000-gallon fuel farm and six fuel sites for ongoing sustainment missions in support of the MEF and assisted in reconstruction efforts by offloading over 2 million gallons of diesel fuel from Iraqi railroad fuel tankers in Ad Diwaniyah.

Category V--Fuels Personnel Navy Fuels Officer of the Year LCDR Edwin F. Bogdanowicz, SC, USN, assigned to Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Yokosuka, Japan, led the largest Fuel Department within the Department of Defense with outstanding success, resulting in the accomplishment of many initiatives and improvements throughout the seven FISC Fuel Terminals. Under his leadership, FISC Yokosuka played a vital role in the logistics support for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, meeting all commitments consisting of 91 operations, with 338 million gallons of fuel transferred on time and on spec. His three-pronged safety vision of training, ORM principles, and facilities, was the key to a record setting program of only one minor lost time injury, despite the fact that the fuel department bad the busiest year on record.