Written By Sgt. Zane Craig, Fort Indiantown Gap*
The Pennsylvania National Guard’s environmental office sustainability team at Fort Indiantown Gap in Lebanon County, staffed by both Pennsylvania National Guard members and Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs civilians, won the 2016 Secretary of the Army Environmental Award for sustainability.
After taking top honors in the environmental restoration team category and second in the natural resources team category in 2015, the sustainability team achieved major milestones and outperformed 53 other states and territories to win the sustainability award.
“I’m here today to congratulate the winners of the fiscal year 2016 Secretary of the Army Environmental Award for sustainability,” said Eugene Collins, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health.
“You didn’t compete against amateurs, and you can now say you are the best in the entire Army, everywhere, when it comes to sustainability. That tells me that you are certainly world class. This is our highest award for environmental leadership.”
The team won for achieving major sustainability milestones over the past two years, particularly in the areas of waste stream reduction and diversion. The team has established recycling, reuse, and resale of solid waste and other materials, resulting in more than 50 percent reductions in universal waste streams compared with the 2012 baseline, alongside 44 percent reduction in hazardous waste.
“It’s because of you that we are able to accomplish the herculean task of being the busiest National Guard training center in the nation and still be great to the environment and great to our community without flinching on our primary mission, which is to train our service members,” Maj. Gen. Tony Carrelli, Pennsylvania adjutant general, told the team.
The team is also completing the conversion of PAARNG properties from heating oil to natural gas, recycling more than 300 aboveground heating oil tanks, implementing a new pharmacy system, and recycling fluorescent bulbs.
John Fronko, director of the environmental team, is happy with the win.
"With our great team of professionals we are able to support and enhance both the military mission and the environment and it is fulfilling to see them recognized for their efforts."
The sustainability team will now go on to compete in the 2016 Secretary of Defense environmental competition.
The Pennsylvania National Guard, Bureau of Environmental Management, is committed to environmental excellence in supporting the missions of the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs as well as the Pennsylvania National Guard.
The bureau manages a large variety of programs ranging from endangered species to cultural resources to hazardous waste.
(Photo: Eugene Collins, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health, presents Maj. Gen. Tony Carrelli, Pennsylvania adjutant general, and the Fort Indiantown Gap environmental office’s sustainability team with the 2016 Secretary of the Army Environmental Award at the Keystone Conference Center September 18 at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa. The environmental office’s sustainability team won for achieving major sustainability milestones over the past two years, particularly in the areas of waste stream reduction and diversion. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Shane Smith.)
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