Thomas receives Defense Department honor

Willie H. Thomas, a physical scientist with the ERDC, recently received the Department of Defense Exceptional Civilian Service Award, which was presented by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.

Thomas, the deputy program manager for the DoD Joint Test and Evaluation (JT&E) program, was cited for "outstanding leadership and management skills in the financial audit and oversight of geographically distributed Joint Test and Evaluation projects."

Thomas developed and implemented a JT&E Support Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., reutilizing more than $900,000 in test and computer support equipment from an agency that had been deactivated.

Concerned with the potential loss of valuable test resources and recognizing the importance of recycling this state-of-the-art equipment, Thomas developed and supervised a plan that established inventory-reporting procedures and initiated action to catalog, maintain and assess the potential service of each item in the inventory. He ensured that all JT&E test directors knew and had access to the materiel that was maintained at the support center, guaranteeing the effective reuse of equipment and contributing significant dollar savings to the government.

Thomas also contributed to the financial management of a $40 million program budget that includes financial audit and oversight to 10 JT&E projects located in separate geographical areas. He also serves as the contracting officer's representative for three primary and multiple sub-contractors who support JT&E projects.

Thomas received his bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics from Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Ala., in 1978, and a master's degree in urban development from the California University of Pennsylvania in 1988.

Upon his graduation from Stillman College, he entered the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant, where he served for 15 years, coming to the ERDC in 1989 as a research developer. He left the active Army in 1992 but remained with the ERDC.