Battle Management PEO receives presidential rank recognition

  • Published
  • By Patty Welsh
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Steve Wert, Battle Management program executive officer, received a Presidential Rank Award in the Meritorious Senior Executive category July 6 at the Pentagon.

Presidential Rank Awards recognize extraordinary achievements by career executives in federal service. These awards recognize the top individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to their agency and the federal government. Wert’s contributions that led to the award included his overall management of the life cycles of more than 250 programs valued at more than $23 billion.

Speaking to all the awardees, the Secretary of the Air Force highlighted their contributions.

“Each of you has developed deep competence in your area of expertise,” said Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson, who presided over the ceremony. “You’re recognized and respected for that by your peers, your subordinates and by other leaders in the Air Force and the Department of Defense.”

Wert said he was honored to be presented the award on “behalf of the great men and women of the Battle Management Directorate.”

The Battle Management portfolio is extremely varied, but some of the acquisition program work that helped garner the award included accomplishments affecting Joint STARS, AWACS, the Air Force Distributed Common Ground System, Integrated Strategic Planning and Analysis Network and integrated base defense security. The organization’s work with Foreign Military Sales was also highlighted.

“I will continue to be a zealot about the reputation of all of our PEOs’ teams here at Hanscom and at our many locations across the country,” Wert said. “I’m extremely pleased that this reflects highly on what we do across our portfolios.”

Others recognize his accomplishments as well.

“Steve Wert is a true professional who is dedicated to his people, his mission and the Air Force," said Dr. Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. "Steve receiving the presidential rank award highlights that his work expands far beyond the Air Force."

In addition to delivering meaningful results, nominees must demonstrate the highest level of leadership competencies including leading change and leading people.

As Wert’s PEO is quite diverse, he regularly visits each one of his 13 divisions and six geographically separated units. He also holds monthly directorate supervisor calls and conducts lunches with junior force personnel.

Another Air Force Life Cycle Management Center employee, Kenneth Barker, technical advisor for system engineering, received the award for Meritorious Senior Level Professional, and the AFLCMC commander recognized both the recipients.

"I'm very proud Mr. Wert and Dr. Barker have been recognized by this prestigious award," said Lt. Gen. Robert McMurry, AFLCMC commander. "To say that the programs and projects they work on are important is truly an understatement. The leadership that they and their teams provide on a daily basis is vital to the success of the Air Force mission and the defense of our nation. Without a doubt, this is a well-deserved recognition."

Wert said the recognition predates some of their recent accomplishments.

“Stay tuned for even bigger achievements in the near future,” he said.

In addition to Wert and Barker, seven other Air Force senior executives received presidential rank awards during the ceremony.