Naval Support Activity South Potomac (NSASP) recognized its high-performing Sailors and civilians during an awards ceremony at Naval Support Facility (NSF) Indian Head on Feb. 13. Capt. Jonathan Townsend, NSASP commanding officer, praised recipients and emphasized the critical role the installation command will play as the Navy continues its Energetics Comprehensive Modernization Plan (ECMP) at Indian Head. The $2.7 billion plan is revolutionizing operations at the Navy’s only arsenal, and will provide U.S. forces with the quality and quantity of munitions required for modern warfare.

First to be recognized was Security Forces Officer Jasmin Advic, who received a letter of appreciation from Capt. Steve Duba, commanding officer of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division. Duba’s command has primary responsibility for implementing ECMP, and he praised Advic for the steadfast support he provides to members of the workforce.

“When I first checked in, I ran into a guy who I’m always very happy to see at the front gate,” said Duba. “I’ve been observing [Officer Advic] since then and he has never let the Warfare Center down. He’s true professional.”

The letter noted Advic’s “ability to foster the trust and confidence our large, diverse workforce is made possible by his professional demeanor, attention to detail, respect towards others and unparalleled vigilance.”

Townsend then returned to the podium to announce NSASP’s Sailors of the Year for 2024. Aviation Boatswain’s Mate-Aviation Handler 2nd Class Uriah Miller was selected as the Junior Sailor of the Year.

“Petty Officer Miller is responsible for maintaining 53,000 square feet of critical infrastructure to ensure serviceability of four landing pads across four installation,” according to the citation. “He successfully launched and recovered five aircraft, 54 personnel and 300 pounds of equipment for four different commands and agencies, with zero mishaps.”

Yeoman 2nd Class Micah Reed was selected as the command’s Sailor of the Year. “Petty Officer Reed expertly processed 722 pieces of correspondence, 24 awards, 20 fitness reports and evaluations, and 18 directives, ensuring the timely and accurate completion of essential tasks as the administrative leading petty officer,” according to the citation. “Additionally, he oversaw and led a diverse team of 24 Sailors in the successful execution of 12 command events, supporting both NSF Indian Head and NSF Dahlgren.”

Both Sailors received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for their outstanding performance.

Andrew Revelos, public affairs officer, was selected as NSASP’s Senior Civilian of the Quarter for Dahlgren. “Mr. Revelos continues to exceed expectations in every aspect of his role as a one-man team for two installations,” according to the citation. “No task is too big or too small for him to tackle. Mr. Revelos’s unwavering commitment to promoting communication and collaboration with tenants, community leaders and command has been outstanding.”

Corey McCabe, MWR site director for NSF Indian Head, was selected as NSASP’s Senior Civilian of the Quarter for Indian Head. “Mr. McCabe role as NSF Indian Head Morale, Welfare and Recreation director is integral to the success of NSA South Potomac,” according to the citation. “His can-do attitude and unwavering willingness to assist wherever needed make him an indispensable member of the command. Mr. McCabe consistently rises to every challenge.”

McCabe was also selected as NSASP’s Senior Civilian of the Year.

NSF Dahlgren Junior Civilian of the Quarter was MWR maintenance lead Anthony Martinez. “He demonstrated exceptional dedication, tirelessly supporting events such as Harvestfest and Winterfest, all while maintaining his regular duties,” according to the citation. “As sole point-of-contact for various requests, Mr. Martinez’s consistently delivers the highest level of customer service, ensuring every task is completed with professionalism and efficiency.”

Martinez was also selected as NSASP’s Junior Civilian of the Year.

“He’s also a top-notch midfielder on the soccer pitch as well,” added Townsend.

After presenting the awards, NSASP leadership laid out its goals and expectations for staff.

Command Master Chief Andy Reyes-Velez, the newest member of NSASP leadership triad, emphasized the heavy responsibility of installation command. “I can’t stress enough how proud I am of the team, and how excited I am to participate and become part of the Indian Head and Dahlgren family,” he said. “We own the spaces we walk on. It is our duty to ourselves and our shipmates to take pride in how our spaces look, and if you can’t do it yourself, elevate it to me and we’ll get through it.”

NSASP Executive Officer Cmdr. Robert Lusk Jr. echoed the sentiment. “Congratulations to those who received awards, we could not do this without you guys,” he said. “You’ve heard me say it before: pride in ownership. Take pride in everything we do, and own everything we do.”

Townsend concluded the ceremony with a look around the globe at U.S. challenges, and stressed how critical NSF Indian Head and its modernizing mission are to national defense. “The opponents our nation faces today are far more sophisticated, far more organized and far more dangerous” he said. “Today we are deep into the era of peer-to-peer competition, which is a new name for a very old game: great power conflict.

“Every day, we see new and novel threats – it’s not an overstatement to say are witnessing a revolution in warfare,” Townsend continued. “To grossly simplify the matter, we need to build 2025 energetics capability at a scale unseen since World War 2. We must maintain the superiority of our weapons systems, while keeping in mind that quantity is its own quality.”

However, Townsend also noted that conflict is not inevitable, and the success of the missions at NSF Indian Head help ensure deterrence and peace. “Our role is to prevent conflict, our role is to support the mission of the Warfare Center, and to answer the call,” he said. “Doing our job well is the best way to prevent war.”

Congratulations to all the award recipients!