Skurka earns MSC's highest civilian mariner honor
WASHINGTON (USTCNS) --- One could say it is in his blood. Chief Engineer Don Skurka's grandfather was the senior chief engineer for Moore-McCormack Lines, and his father graduated from the U.S. Maritime Academy in Kings Point, N.Y., sailing until the first of his five children was born.
Whatever the reason -- genetics or just plain hard work -- there is no doubt that Skurka is an excellent mariner.
Skurka received the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command Distinguished Career Achievement Award -- the highest award bestowed by the command on an MSC civil service mariner -- from Vice Adm. G.S. Holder, USN, Commander, MSC, on Fri., Sept. 29, in Washington, D.C.
The annual award recognizes the most outstanding officer of MSC's civil service mariners. Individuals are nominated by their peers who consider the individual's past five years of service, and then a selection board made up of senior MSC personnel chooses the annual winner.
Vice Adm. Holder noted that he did not need to say much about Skurka, because the comments of Skurka's peers spoke for themselves - from "completely dedicated" to, quite simply, "the best steam engineer sailing with MSC."
Skurka began his career with MSC as a third assistant engineer in 1980 after graduating from the State University of New York Maritime College.
He received his chief engineer license in 1986, began sailing as a chief engineer in 1988 and was permanently promoted to chief engineer in 1989.
He sailed aboard now-deactivated underway replenishment tankers, roll-on/roll-off ships and an oceanographic survey ship, among others.
In 1992, Skurka became the first chief engineer aboard USS Concord, soon to be USNS Concord, the first of the Mars-class AFS ships to transfer to MSC.
Skurka joined the combat stores ship four months before the ship was transferred to MSC, observing the engine department crew of more than 100 work in the 1968-built ship's engineering plant.
In October 1992, he worked with the shipyard as Concord began the first step of her conversion to an MSC ship -- major modernization of the engineering spaces as well as some changes in the living spaces. Following the Conversion, Concord's engineering plant was maintained by a mere 30 civilian mariners, later reduced to 25.
During the past eight years, Skurka has been active in the second phase of Concord's conversion -- the 13-month conversion of her living spaces to full maritime industry standards in 1995-96 -- and numerous Concord deployments to the Mediterranean.
He also led the engineering department through the installation of an automated monitoring system of Concord's extensive cargo holds. The remote, computerized system monitors the temperature of the refrigerated cargo holds as well as various aspects of the equipment controlling the refrigeration.
Those who have worked with Skurka credit him with mobilizing the engineering department and saving the government millions of dollars by employing "on-the-spot engineering expertise" instead of waiting for a contractor.
"I cannot imagine where USNS Concord and I would be if I did not have Don on my team," said Capt. Ed Nanartowich, master of USNS Concord.
Luckily, Capt. Nanartowich will not have to find out soon. Skurka will again be a member of the Concord team as chief engineer when the ship sails in late November to begin a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean. (FROM MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).
Whatever the reason -- genetics or just plain hard work -- there is no doubt that Skurka is an excellent mariner.
Skurka received the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command Distinguished Career Achievement Award -- the highest award bestowed by the command on an MSC civil service mariner -- from Vice Adm. G.S. Holder, USN, Commander, MSC, on Fri., Sept. 29, in Washington, D.C.
The annual award recognizes the most outstanding officer of MSC's civil service mariners. Individuals are nominated by their peers who consider the individual's past five years of service, and then a selection board made up of senior MSC personnel chooses the annual winner.
Vice Adm. Holder noted that he did not need to say much about Skurka, because the comments of Skurka's peers spoke for themselves - from "completely dedicated" to, quite simply, "the best steam engineer sailing with MSC."
Skurka began his career with MSC as a third assistant engineer in 1980 after graduating from the State University of New York Maritime College.
He received his chief engineer license in 1986, began sailing as a chief engineer in 1988 and was permanently promoted to chief engineer in 1989.
He sailed aboard now-deactivated underway replenishment tankers, roll-on/roll-off ships and an oceanographic survey ship, among others.
In 1992, Skurka became the first chief engineer aboard USS Concord, soon to be USNS Concord, the first of the Mars-class AFS ships to transfer to MSC.
Skurka joined the combat stores ship four months before the ship was transferred to MSC, observing the engine department crew of more than 100 work in the 1968-built ship's engineering plant.
In October 1992, he worked with the shipyard as Concord began the first step of her conversion to an MSC ship -- major modernization of the engineering spaces as well as some changes in the living spaces. Following the Conversion, Concord's engineering plant was maintained by a mere 30 civilian mariners, later reduced to 25.
During the past eight years, Skurka has been active in the second phase of Concord's conversion -- the 13-month conversion of her living spaces to full maritime industry standards in 1995-96 -- and numerous Concord deployments to the Mediterranean.
He also led the engineering department through the installation of an automated monitoring system of Concord's extensive cargo holds. The remote, computerized system monitors the temperature of the refrigerated cargo holds as well as various aspects of the equipment controlling the refrigeration.
Those who have worked with Skurka credit him with mobilizing the engineering department and saving the government millions of dollars by employing "on-the-spot engineering expertise" instead of waiting for a contractor.
"I cannot imagine where USNS Concord and I would be if I did not have Don on my team," said Capt. Ed Nanartowich, master of USNS Concord.
Luckily, Capt. Nanartowich will not have to find out soon. Skurka will again be a member of the Concord team as chief engineer when the ship sails in late November to begin a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean. (FROM MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).
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