Arlington, Va.—Navy Cdr. Dylan Schmorrow of the Office of Naval Research has been selected by Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition (Acting) John Thakrah to receive one of 34 Department of the Navy Top Scientists and Engineers of the Year Awards for 2007, which will be presented at a ceremony at the Pentagon on 29 May.
With more than 35,000 scientists and engineers in the Navy Acquisition Enterprise, the Department of the Navy established this award in 2006 to enhance the recognition of the excellence of Navy scientists and engineers. It is presented annually to Navy civilian and military personnel for exceptional scientific and engineering achievement. From a strong field of 60 submissions for the 2007 award, a Senior Executive Service panel from across the Navy systems commands, the Office of Naval Research (ONR), and the Naval Research Laboratory selected 34 for awards—representing 47 individuals or members of teams.
Cdr. Schmorrow is the first and only naval officer to have received this award. He was recognized for his efforts that resulted in the on-time, on-budget delivery of the Infantry Immersion Trainer (IIT)—a first-of-its-kind training system—while serving as the director of the warfighter enhancement program office in the Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare and Combating Terrorism Department at ONR.
The IIT is impacting the way Marines train warfighters through the system’s ability to generate a number of realistic scenarios. Cdr. Schmorrow’s ability to bring scientists, engineers, creative design artists, and the operating forces together under a contracted timeline to develop a fielded revolutionary training system typifies his leadership style. The IIT went from concept to training prototype in less than a year and has already trained more than 1,000 Marines headed to combat in Iraq.
The IIT has received high praise from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Corps leadership, and combat-experienced Marines, who believe this revolutionary training system will save lives and is the most realistic simulated exposure to combat available.
Cdr. Schmorrow currently serves as the executive assistant to the Chief of Naval Research. He is a 1985 graduate of Marysville (Mich.) High School. He has a Ph.D. and B.S. from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Mich.
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