Two Navy civil servants based in San Diego received the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award April 21 for their support to the Navy's COVID-19 response.

Keith Boyer and Kenneth Lindsey were each presented the award by Capt. David Hart, commanding officer of Southwest Regional Maintenance Center (SWRMC).

“Keith and Kenneth quickly responded to support our mission when the Nation was starting to shut down to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Hart said. “They led the way, implementing all the necessary safety and health precautions for our employees, while ensuring SWRMC was prepared to assist ships getting underway and in depot maintenance availabilities.I am grateful for their dedication and support to our SWRMC team.”

Boyer and Lindsey worked overtime to gather and share the latest information from the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and senior levels of the Navy. They also conducted daily calls with SWRMC leadership to share this information and develop an action plan to ensure the health and safety of employees.

Through their careful and thorough research, Boyer and Lindsey facilitated the procurement of appropriate face coverings, hand sanitizer, and other safety measures SWRMC employees need to conduct daily business for the fleet.

SWRMC is crucial to the nation's security, the citation explained: “SWRMC’s work is one of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors listed by the Department of Homeland Security, whose assets, systems, and networks are considered vital to the United States,” it reads. “The incapacitation or destruction of those sectors would have a debilitating effect on the country.

"You were a distinguished contributor to mission success; whose performance consistently surpassed expectations and goals," the citation continued. "Your unrivaled service in this challenging time has fostered a collaborative environment to ensure the Fleet is always prepared and ready to sail into harm’s way.

“Your initiative, exceptional ability, and loyal dedication to duty reflect great credit upon yourself, SWRMC, and the United States Navy,” the citation concluded.

The award, the third highest available for Navy civilians is given to civil servants for meritorious service or contributions resulting in high value or benefits for the Navy.

Boyer and Lindsey’s contributions were instrumental during SWRMC’s rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their efforts ensured SWRMC employees were kept up to date on the latest safety and health information related to COVID-19 and had the recommended supplies to protect them while they continued to support the mission and the fleet.

SWRMC is meeting its mission to provide superior ship maintenance, modernization, technical support, and training for the Pacific Fleet.

For more information on SWRMC, please visit https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/RMC/SWRMC.

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For more news from Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, visit www.navy.mil/.