LCDR Jeffrey Pereira
Jun 23, 2023
LT Kyle Cosentino - ACO JOTY Award
Lieutenant Kyle Cosentino is awarded the 2022 NOAA ACO Junior Officer of the Year award for his extraordinary performance and contribution to AOC's operational success in 2022. His diligent commitment resulted in over 495 flight hours, representing over 10% of AOC's total. His exemplary leadership, instructional capacity, and unwavering dedication cultivated a growing cadre of Twin Otter pilots, ensuring seamless progression of novice aviators through initial and upgrade training programs. When faced with an instructor shortage, LT Cosentino navigated the challenge with resolve, leading multiple daily flights, and accomplishing significant upgrading event completions. His leadership in the King Air program was critical for AOC’s future success. As a flight crew leader, he executed 100% of tasked Alaska lines during the snow season, providing crucial data in a record snowfall year and contributing to flood risk assessment. As an integral member of the AOC Training Team, LT Cosentino's compassionate leadership and mentorship have played a pivotal role in shaping the development of upcoming aviators. His meticulous scheduling, careful budget management, and innovative use of SmartSheets workflow have led to a significant 75% growth in funded and executed training events. His unswerving dedication, consistent high performance, and remarkable contributions to NOAA are why he is well-deserving of this distinguished honor.
LT Michael Card - ACO Engineering Award
Lieutenant Michael Card is honored with the 2022 NOAA ACO Engineering Award for exemplary service as Operations Officer aboard NOAA Ship Fairweather. Overcoming significant staffing and operational challenges, he led successful hydrographic survey operations, notably securing $155K for the integration of the innovative BoatBot system, and enabling real-world data acquisition from optionally-crewed hydrographic survey launches. Amidst staffing shortages, LT Card built a new Survey Department, successfully onboarded 7 new Hydrographic Assistant Survey Technicians, and developed internal personnel towards their Hydrographer In Charge qualifications, exemplifying his leadership skills. He embraced technological innovation by maintaining licensing for 18 ship workstations and 4 survey launches, integrating a state-of-the-art Starlink wireless internet system. Furthermore, he actively promoted a learning culture through training sessions and his role in the NOAA Corps Junior Officer Advisory Council. LT Card's innovation, leadership, technical expertise, and dedication to the NOAA mission are exemplary, making him a deserving recipient of this prestigious honor.
LT Patrick Debroisse - ACO Engineering Award
Lieutenant Patrick Debroisse is recognized with the 2022 ACO Engineering Award for his pivotal work on Crowd Sourced Bathymetry (CSB) data management and discovery. While pursuing his Master's Degree in Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire, LT Debroisse developed an open-source Python program, VBI Compare, which significantly advanced the processing of CSB. With 50% of the US Exclusive Economic Zone and 76% of the world's oceans still unmapped, CSB is a crucial, yet challenging, data source. LT Debroisse's VBI Compare addressed these challenges, collating data from disparate databases, improving search capabilities, and visualizing data from multiple sources concurrently. Tested in the Houston Ship Channel, VBI Compare was 89% faster than manual methods, collecting 70 times more National Bathymetric Source data tiles, enabling more accurate results. Moreover, the program automates CSB quality analysis, saving time and effort for hydrographic agencies. LT Debroisse's groundbreaking work, of interest to hydrographic offices worldwide, contributes significantly to ocean mapping. His efforts bring credit to himself, NOAA, the NOAA Corps, OCS, and the Joint Hydrographic Center, and could greatly enhance OCS's data pipeline. For his innovative and impactful work, LT Debroisse is a deserving recipient of the 2022 ACO Engineering Award.
LTJG Trevor Grams - ACO Engineering Award
Lieutenant (junior grade) Trevor Grams is awarded the National Association of Commissioned Officers Engineering Award. As Junior-Officer-in-Charge (JOIC) of NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service R/V Gloria Michelle, LTJG Grams exceeded his role by assuming engineering duties, making crucial repairs, and undertaking important improvements, such as a new workstation module and deck hose system. His proficiency in welding and electrical systems not only solved immediate issues like freshwater tank leaks and exterior bulkhead corrosion, but also enhanced vessel safety and efficiency. As the lead on maintenance contracts worth over $200,000, Grams upgraded internet connectivity and integrated a new transducer system. Exemplifying technical competence and dedication, his efforts resulted in an estimated $20,000 in savings and extended the vessel's lifespan by five years. His exemplary service makes him a deserving recipient of this prestigious award.