Mississippi Valley Division Awards Day

Mississippi Valley Division
Published Oct. 14, 2021

VICKSBURG, Miss. -- The Mississippi Valley Division (MVD), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, held an awards ceremony, Oct. 13, 2021, at its annual Corps of Engineers Day where the following awards were presented:

ERNEST P. BLANKENSHIP AWARDS

The Ernest P. Blankenship awards are among the highest honorary awards presented to MVD employees by the division commanding general, Maj. Gen. Diana Holland. The awards cover three categories: engineer/scientist, professional, and technical/administrative. Established in 1987, they honor the commitment, dedication, and knowledge of the long-time MVD executive assistant who died in 1973.

ENGINEER/SCIENTIST AWARD

The 2021 Ernest P. Blankenship Engineer/Scientist Award was presented to Mr. Scott Stewart, deputy chief of the Engineering and Construction Division.

Confronted with the challenges of teleworking, Mr. Stewart made himself assessable by promoting an atmosphere of open communication to help team members accomplish their objectives. His achievements and professionalism are in keeping with the highest traditions of public service which reflect great credit upon himself, the Mississippi Valley Division, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

ADMINISTRATIVE AWARD

The 2021 Ernest P. Blankenship Technical/Administrative Award was presented to Sage Aughtman, executive secretary to the division commander.

Ms. Aughtman quickly began making a difference by elevating the standards of the position. She often assumed many duties and tasks that were assigned to others within the Executive Office, Directorates, and Readiness and Contingency Operations without question or complaint. Under her own initiative, she instituted an administrative team working group to assist other secretaries and administrative support staff in the building and within the districts.

PROFESSIONAL AWARD

The 2021 Ernest P. Blankenship Professional Award was presented to Brian Rentfro, historian for the Mississippi Valley Division and the Mississippi River Commission.

Mr. Rentfro provided services to various elements of the command through his professionalism, critical thinking skills, and technical proficiency. Through his efforts, he broadened employee proficiency by understanding the authorities and the historical contact analysis that result in strengthening decision making and teamwork across the region.

WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD

MVD’s 2021 Woman of the Year was presented to Charlene Mosley, program manager for the Lower District Support Team (DST), Program Support Division.

Ms. Mosley expertly handled all DST related actions and activities related to the Vicksburg District’s area of operations. She coordinated and facilitated the completion of the Delta Headwater Project, ensured appropriate review and signature of the Mississippi River Levee Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), the Yazoo Back Water SEIS, and the Record of the Decision.

OTHER AWARDS

Mr. Brian Maestri, Mr. Richie McComas, and Mr. Ben Robinson Acquisition were awarded the Department of the Army Achievement Medals for Civilian Service.

LENGTH OF SERVICE

Seventeen employees, representing 385 years of federal service, received length-of-service certificates ranging from five to 40 years of service.

--end--


Contact
Mary Miller Ratcliff
Cemvd-pa@usace.army.mil

Release no. 21-093