A Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) San Diego civilian employee has been named the 13th annual Department of Defense David O. Cooke Excellence in Public Administration Award (EPAA) winner.

Hallie Balkin, NAVSUP FLC San Diego assistant counsel, was selected for the award after a thorough review of her exceptional contributions to the government during the past six years. She will officially accept the award during a ceremony at the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes, Nov. 16.

"I am honored and humbled, especially when I think about how many wonderful federal employees there are in the DOD and how many are so deserving of this recognition," said Balkin. "I am blown away that I've been selected. This kind of thing doesn't happen without extraordinary leadership."

The EPAA recognizes only one non-managerial DOD career employee with three to 10 years of federal service per year. Winners are chosen based on their demonstration of great leadership potential as a future federal executive while helping to promote and effect cooperation and improvement within the DOD.

Balkin is a graduate of San Diego State University and Thomas Jefferson School of Law. She joined the DOD as a civil servant in 2011 after being recruited by Washington Headquarters Services, where she served as a contract specialist for Pentagon contracts. From there, she moved on to Marine Corps Systems Command, serving as a program attorney. In July 2015, Balkin joined the NAVSUP FLC San Diego team as assistant counsel.

Since entering public service, she has assessed and identified procurement shortcomings with increased risk to the DOD that led her to create several key workplace tools. Balkin created a Performance Work Statement writing guide, legal review intake form, and a source selection kickoff brief, all aimed at maximizing efficiency and shielding the DOD from potential litigation resulting from avoidable errors. Those tools have been shared throughout the DOD to maximize their application.

"Her efforts have resulted in greatly reduced legal and financial risk to the government," said Executive Director Chachi Gorman. "These are significant achievements that have long-lasting, positive repercussions throughout the Navy and DOD, and she worked on those things while also defending bid protest cases. She truly deserves this accolade, and we're very fortunate to have her on our team."

Balkin is the first Navy civilian to win the award in more than a decade.

"Without the collaboration and support from my colleagues, supervisors and clients, I wouldn't be where I am today. So I'm thankful for everyone who has played a role in my career," said Balkin. "And my husband, who I met in law school and who works with me now, he's my rock. He speaks the language and understands what I'm talking about. I get to bounce ideas off of him - big picture kind of things - and it's very helpful because he understands and gives me real feedback. All this support from everywhere around me makes me feel like I can do anything. I'm so very fortunate."

NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center San Diego is one of eight fleet logistics centers under NAVSUP Global Logistics Support (GLS) that provides operational logistics, business and support services to fleet, shore and industrial commands of the Navy, Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, and other joint and allied forces. Services include contracting, regional transportation, fuel, material management, household goods movement support, postal and consolidated mail, warehousing, global logistics and husbanding, hazardous material management, and integrated logistics support.

NAVSUP GLS provides global logistics for a global Navy. The organization is made up of more than 6,300 military and civilian logistics professionals operating from 105 locations worldwide providing an extensive array of integrated global logistics and contracting services to Navy, Marine Corps, joint operational units, and allied forces across all warfare enterprises.

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