Members of the TRM Team watch the Secretary’s Achievement Awards virtual ceremony.
AIKEN, S.C. (January 27, 2022) -U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm recently presented Secretary of Energy Achievement Awards to the team responsible for the safe and successful completion of a multi-year campaign to support global nuclear security goals by transporting highly enriched uranium (HEU) liquid to the Savannah River Site (SRS) from Canada for processing. Two Savannah River Site (SRS) employees were also recognized for the Savannah River Tritium Enterprise’s (SRTE) role on the W76-2 Modification Team, supporting the nation’s nuclear deterrent.
The Secretary of Energy Achievement Awards honor groups or teams of DOE employees and contractors who accomplish significant achievements on behalf of the Department, demonstrating cooperation and teamwork in attaining their goals.
During a virtual award ceremony held on January 11, 2022, Secretary Granholm congratulated the group, saying “Not only did these awardees get the job done, they did it as a team. It is a privilege to call you colleagues.”
The Target Residue Material (TRM) campaign, completed in 2020, involved transporting HEU from the Chalk River Laboratories in Canada to the SRS’s H Canyon for processing. This achievement marked the first time that irradiated HEU liquid was shipped internationally to the U.S. The campaign was coordinated among more than a dozen organizations in Canada and the U.S., including multiple federal, state and tribal partners, and involved 115 total truck shipments covering almost 150,000 miles.
The U.S. team worked collaboratively with Canadian partners to overcome obstacles presented by the scope and complexity of the mission in order to facilitate the safe and secure packaging and transport of the TRM. This effort has advanced U.S. and global goals on nuclear security and contributed to a significant reduction in worldwide HEU holdings.
Members of the TRM team that received this honor include:
Derek Alexander
Michael Avino
Scott Baggott
Dan Bales
Jonathan Barnett
Tiffany Blanchard-Case
Roy Boyd
Amy Boyette
Michael Budney
Annette Burnette
Rick Burns
Jeffrey Chamberlin
Virginia Childers
Chris Cody
William Cooper
Thomas Corey
Mike Dalmaso
Clifford Day
Mark Day
Ellen Edge
Mark Farrar
Brian Fiscus
Jaclyn Fitzpatrick
Greg Ford
Jeffrey Galan
Bill Giddings
Eric Gleaton
Magali Gonzalez
Lydia Greenway
Allen Gunter
Jessica Halse
Mick Hickman
Megan Holley
Kevin Hooper
Billy Hunt
Glen Jackson
Joel Jones
Kiran Karanth
Roy Kennedy
Matthew King
Michael Kirkland
Victoria Lampkin
Leah Lilly
Johnny Lott
Gail Majors
Mike Martin
Maxcine Maxted
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Steve Mayle
Robin McCammon
Tim McClure
Mark McDermott
Twyla McDermott
Patrick McGuire
Michael Mickolanis
Nick Miller
Rich Minichan
Michael Mosley
David Nason
Hitesh Nigam
Rich O’Donnell
Bill Park
Sherry Park
Wanda Patterson
Rita Pernell
Kurt Peterson
Anthony Polk
Linda Quarles
Jay Ray
Tony Riley
Genave Russo
Leon Scott
Davis Shull
Leroy Smalls
Bill Stephens
Mitchell Stokes
Todd Strock
Ken Syphertt
Lorie Talbert-Burt
Tim Tice
Calrton Travis
Kalyn Turner
Donald Walker
Sue Wells
Tom Wells
Sam Wheatley
James White
Blake Williams
Hayley Williams
Shannon Williams
Shirley Williams
Dennis Yates
Ron Youmans
Cheryl Young
Jim Zelgewicz
Steve Zimmerman
In addition to the TRM Team, the W76-2 Team was honored for its “relentless dedication” in developing a modification of an existing warhead to provide a low-yield, sea-launched ballistic missile warhead capability. This modification helps preserve credible deterrence against regional aggression. Weapon Program Engineers Don Zecha and Scott McGee were honored as representatives of SRTE’s contribution, which was to supply the gas transfer system used in the modification.
Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and National Nuclear Security Administration Administrator Jill Hruby echoed Granholm’s praise. “I am awed by the collective contributions to the department and our nation, and I can’t thank all of you enough for your dedication and your teamwork,” she said.
