Updated at 1:47 p.m., Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Local military installations win Pentagon awards
Advertiser Staff
Marine Corps Base-Hawai'i and Hickam Air Force Base's cultural resources manager were among the winners of the U.S. Secretary of Defense's environmental awards for fiscal 2006, the Pentagon announced today.Each year since 1962, the defense secretary has recognized outstanding achievement in environmental management by military and civilian personnel, both at domestic and overseas bases.
Hickam's Gary M. O'Donnell was picked as the winner for best cultural resources management by an individual and team.
O'Donnell directed the 15th Airlift Wing's cultural resources management program by "developing creative solutions to difficult problems," literature accompanying the award said.
"Mr. O'Donnell's commitment and enthusiasm toward cultural resources protection has been embraced by base personnel, Hickam AFB residents, and the local community," the statement said.
O'Donnell educated base planners and engineers on the responsibilities of adaptive re-use of historic structures.
Marine Corps Base-Hawai'i was the award recipient for pollution prevention at nonindustrial installations.
The Kane'ohe Bay base eliminated the use of methylene chloride, a hazardous air pollutant, in the control of aircraft corrosion, by installing a heated paint stripping system.
The base also saved $4 million by installing a weapons-cleaning system that circulates, filters and distributes a non-toxic solvent that reduces by 50 percent the time it takes to clean a weapon.
