SECNAV presents Department of Navy safety awards

The safety awards were presented by Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Donald Winter; Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Patrick Walsh; Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations and Environment B.J. Penn; Director of Marine Corps Staff and Deputy Commandant of Installations and Logistics, Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Richard Kramlich and Deputy Assistant SECNAV for Safety Thomas Rollow.

"We are here to honor folks that have been on the line, people that have been practicing successful safety practices," said Walsh before the awards were presented.

"What we are recognizing today are the good practices the recipients have formed in your units."

Recipients were awarded with a citation, plaque and the SECNAV's safety flag, which they are entitled to fly for a year.

"This is, in fact, one of the highest priorities that I have within the DoN," said Winter during his remarks. "I try to communicate with commands throughout the services. Sometimes, I hear the comment or question of 'is it really safety or mission or what have you?' And, I would suggest that they are not in conflict. If anything, they are directly supportive. A failure or two of observed safety could compromise people, could compromise equipment and could call to question our procedures. Anyone of those will have, not could have, but will have a significant impact on our ability to conduct the mission."

The accolades were received by command representatives, which included command leadership, safety officers and safety petty officers who held the title or collateral duty during the period cited.

NAS Jacksonville is the first command to earn the DoN's Safety Excellence Award two consecutive years in the ashore non-industrial category. "By earning this award twice in two years, it shows the quality of our safety program at NAS Jacksonville and the commitment of our employees," said NSA Jax Safety Manager Ron Williamson.

NAS Jacksonville incorporated safety and operational risk management as top priorities in planning and executing its mission, resulting in remarkable and highly successful safety achievements including: selection as both the Chief of Naval Operations' and the SECNAV's