For the fifth year in a row, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division China Lake has led the NAVAIR Mentor of the Year with the most nominations, this year with ten nominees.

Henry Frohlich, department head of Weapons Systems Procurement, is the 2024 winner for China Lake, making this the procurement groups’ second winner in the past three years.

“I thought it was a joke,” Frohlich explained. “I was on travel in D.C. and received a text saying that I had won. So, I sent some texts and made a couple of calls, and I found out it was true!”

Frohlich began his career with NAWCWD in 2010 as a contract specialist and within a few short years worked his way up to contracting officer on the procurement team.

Throughout his career, he has long been known for offering not just professional guidance, but also personal support. Frohlich believes that getting to know those you mentor on a personal basis can really have the best effect when mentoring.

“I think getting to know people, their goals, and what they like to do can really make mentoring easy and a positive way to help people.”

The overarching goal of mentoring is to provide the mentee with the tools to be able to become a better version of themselves, in their work life or home life.

Within the organization, there are many different ways one can mentor, formal and informal, which Frohlich has demonstrated throughout his career.

For the last three years, Frohlich was a PaaL coach, which transitioned to Leadership EDGE and he continues to mentor first-time coaches so they can eventually lead their own groups.

He provides continual career planning advice to help colleagues reach career goals and often provides colleagues a way to enhance their professional development. Whether it’s a move or a rotation within the organization, Frohlich encourages them to take on additional responsibilities and more complex work in an effort to improve their technical skills.

Upon identifying a gap in leadership training and mentoring that is available to journey level employees – since not everyone can get into or make the time commitment for JLDP/NLDP type programs – Frohlich decided to launch a book club called the Procurement Leadership Forum with the book selection of “Extreme Ownership” by former Navy Seal Jacko Willink.

The result was 10-30 teammates reading the book on their own time and then attending bi-weekly leadership discussions to apply the book principals to their team and themselves.

“We just started season 2 of the PLF, and are reading the book “When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing,” shared Frohlich.

Mentoring comes naturally to Frohlich, but he attributes his mentoring success to his own mentors.

“Having Deputy Director for the Procurement Group Sandra [Scharns-Stevens], as a mentor, who herself won this award just a couple of years ago, really helped me develop and want to challenge myself to be a great mentor,” he said.

“Henry is keenly aware of each of his teammates’ strengths,” wrote Stevens, who nominated Frohlich.

“When a teammate needs mentoring, Henry partners personnel in a mentorship relationship, promoting a mentoring culture, improving work products and efficiency,” said Stevens.

Frohlich’s mentorship expands beyond the procurement group, enhancing organizational awareness across the command.

He established a 6-week 14 topic course, with presenters across the procurement group offering professional development opportunities and overall organizational awareness for participants across the command.

Within Frohlich’s nomination package, it detailed that one participant shared that these investments would have direct impacts to the work ability to partner in the future.

Another mentor that had an impact on Frohlich was Collin Kyte, director for the Weapons Systems Procurement Group.

“Having an attrition rate drop from 27% to just 3% in five years, shows that what he is doing is working,” said Frohlich.

He added, “Collin has a genuine care for helping people be the best that they can and that’s what it takes to be a good mentor.”

Frohlich is an advocate for mentoring and encourages those – who may not have it in their sights – to step into mentorship and coaching roles.

If you want to become a mentor or want to be mentored, Frohlich’s advice is reach out to your leadership. “Whether it is your immediate supervisor or someone who works close to you, there is always going to be someone available to help.”

Frohlich is ecstatic to see how NAWCWD will grow with the leadership courses available and he hopes to see the organization continue to be in the lead for mentorship within NAVAIR.