The Alaska Army National Guard’s Restoration Team, Patrick Geary (left), Donald Flournoy and Alyssa Murphy, were awarded the Environmental Security Award by the National Guard Bureau. They were recognized for their efforts in environmental restoration of former AKNG properties.
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Team members from the Alaska Army National Guard Environmental Section prepare to inspect a site for divestiture.
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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska The National Guard Bureau officially recognized the Alaska Army National Guards Restoration Team for their exceptional accomplishments in restoring unattended armory sites to a clean and sound state for transferring to outside organizations.
The award recognized four environmental compliance professionals, Donald Flournoy and Alyssa Murphy, as well as Aaron Acena. Each member is responsible for identifying potential contaminates from disused armory property, developing a plan and collaborating, all in accordance with AKNG policy. The team is responsible for ensuring the safety of the local population by cleaning up and neutralizing hazards.
Murphy, the environmental team leader, said that there are many moving pieces when it comes to the divestiture. We may need to clean up legacy contaminations from years past. We cannot check a property if we are certain that the AKNG’s past presence hasn’t had a negative impact upon the environment, cultural resources, or human health.
The team has managed 15 of the 62 AKNG properties that were formerly AKNG properties. This is a significant achievement considering Alaska’s unique challenges.
Flournoy, chief of the environmental branch, stated that it seems as though everything in remote Alaska requires ten times more planning and coordination. Many sites in the Interior are only accessible by plane or river, and similar programs in other States don’t have these kinds of obstacles.
Additionally, Alaska offers only three to four summer months, which is a very short window of perfect weather conditions for travel. The award recognizes the extra effort of those involved, which was beyond what is normally required for such an undertaking.
This award highlights a great teamwork achievement, said Geary the environmental condition manager for the property program. People from other states may wonder why we are not able to do site visits as quickly as possible. It’s not possible to drive to site visits. We must plan for summer, good conditions, lodging, and arrange flights. The weather is another factor.
Despite the logistical challenges, the team agreed that their work was important to Alaska and the future of similar projects.
Flournoy stated that he feels a great deal of pride in all those involved and expressed his appreciation for his team. They were there to make it happen. They take pride in Alaska’s natural resources and are keen to be good stewards. It is a great honor to help protect these resources and make a real difference.
This award draws national attention to an important initiative that is vital to the mission readiness and validates the professionalism of the Environment Restoration Team.
Murphy said that he feels a lot grateful to be a part of this team. It’s a great feeling to be recognized by our group for our efforts to restore properties back to their rightful condition.
