NCVA / OTRG
1996 AWARD WINNERS

By: Larry Mercer

The Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association (NCVA) is pleased and honored to announce the Navy and Marine Corps winners of the 1996 "On-the-Roof" Gang (OTRG) Cryptologist of the Year competition and the NCVA Awards for Cryptologic Support Excellence (NCVA ACSE). The following winners were selected by the Commander, Naval Security Group Command, Rear Admiral Thomas F. Stevens:

Navy OTRG Cryptologist of the Year: Senior Chief Cryptologic Technician (Collection)(Surface Warfare/Air Warfare) LeRoy W. Woodcock, United States Navy, assigned to the Naval Special Warfare Command.

Marine Corps OTRG Cryptologist of the Year: Master Gunnery Sergeant Thomas H. Cunningham, United States Marine Corps, Company H, Marine Support Battalion, Medina.

Navy NCVA ACSE: Chief Cryptologic Technician (Maintenance) Robert J. Guski, United States Navy, Naval Security Group Activity, Pearl Harbor.

Marine Corps NCVA ACSE: Staff Sergeant Michael E. Herman, United States Marine Corps, Company A, Marine Support Battalion, Denver.

Photo of CTRCS Woodcock CTRCS(SW/AW) LeRoy W. Woodcock is a native of Vancleave, Mississippi. He joined the Navy in 1977, and after completion of CTR "A" School, was assigned to Hanza, Okinawa as a collection operator as well as serving on Cryptologic Direct Support Teams in numerous Naval combatants. Subsequent tours were at Pyong Taek, Republic of South Korea, with additional deployments in USS MIDWAY and USS REEVES; Edzell, Scotland, where his performance was instrumental in Edzell's earning of the 1984 "Travis Trophy"; USS TICONDEROGA, where he was involved in Operation "Attain Document III", which resulted in the Naval air strikes on Libya and Caribbean counter- narcotics Operation "Checkmat-7"; USS JOHN F. KENNEDY, where he played an instrumental role in critical reporting of the shoot-down of two Libyan Mig-23 aircraft and provided real-time tactical support to Operation "Desert Shield"; Staff, CINCPACFLT and, currently, as the first Force Cryptologic Operations Officer for the Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command.

In nominating Senior Chief Woodcock, his commanding officer stated that, as the first Cryptologic Operations Officer assigned to the Naval Special Warfare Command, his "unprecedented accomplishments in Tactical Cryptologic Support have brought SEAL and Special Boat forces an added combat dimension and decisive warfighting advantage that will help save lives and expensive equipment."

Photo of MGySgt Cunningham MGySgt Thomas H. Cunningham was born in Alton, Illinois on 17 October 1948 and enlisted in the Marine Corps on 10 October 1966. He has served five tours in the Fleet Marine Forces, five tours in Marine Support Battalion letter companies and as the Senior Enlisted Marine at Marine Corps Detachment, Goodfellow Air Force Base, San Angelo, Texas. He served in nine campaigns during the Vietnam War, including Direct Support deployments in USS KITTY HAWK and USS CONSTELLATION and ashore with the First Radio Battalion. He has been NCOIC of the Second Radio Battalion, supporting the Multi-national Peacekeeping Forces in Beirut and NCOIC of the combined First and Second Radio Battalion Operations Control and Analysis Center during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He has served in billets as a Manual Morse Operator, Russian Crypto-linguist, Analyst and Reporter, Cryptanalyst and Signals Intelligence/Electronic Warfare Chief and SIGINT/EW Chief of Fleet Marine Forces Pacific.

In nominating MGySgt Cunningham, his commanding officer stated: "Through decades of turbulent change, in peace and in war, from strategic to the tactical level, he has been a steadying hand and a model for all to emulate. MGySgt Cunningham serves as a living reminder to all of the competence and care from which Naval Cryptology has been forged. He has clearly distinguished himself as the premier cryptologist within the Marine Corps today, and possesses in large measure, those personal characteristics of the original "On-The-Roof Gang"."

Photo of CTMC Guski CTMC Robert J. Guski was born in Ashland, Wisconsin on 8 May 1961 and enlisted in the Navy in August 1979. After basic training, Basic Electronics, CTM/EW School, and specialized electronic schools he was assigned to NSGA Northwest, VA where he was introduced to Fleet Direct Support. He was transferred to the Naval Submarine School, Groton, CT, for training on submarine EW/ELINT systems and then assigned to NSGA Pearl Harbor as Subsurface Direct Support Maintenance Technician and Fleet Electronic Support Maintenance Supervisor. Following completion of Instructor and Curriculum Development courses at Naval Submarine Training Center, Pacific, he was assigned to Naval Submarine School New London as lead instructor for the Submarine Direct Support Combined Maintenance School, where he qualified as a Master Training Specialist. He was then selected to attend Eastern Connecticut State University, under the Enlisted Education Advancement Program, where he completed two degrees, simultaneously, graduating SUMMA CUM LAUDE with a Bachelor of Science in Vocational Education Studies of Electronic Technologies and a Bachelor of General Studies in Computer Science and Education. He was inducted into Upsilon Pi Epsilon Honor Society for the Computing Sciences. He reported to NSGA Pearl Harbor in 1993 as Fleet Direct Support Maintenance and Installation Division Officer, immediately implementing procedures to improve every aspect of operations which resulted in the command's selection as the winner of the1995 Naval Security Group Maintenance Award. He also serves as Command Physical Security Officer, Disaster Preparedness Coordinator and Casualty Assistance Calls Officer.

In nominating Chief Guski, his commanding officer stated: "Filling the position of a Division Officer, Chief Guski contributed more to the operational mission of cryptologically equipped combatants than any other maintainer in the Pacific theater of operations....This command receives numerous accolades from CINCPACFLT, USCINCPAC, COMNAVSECGRU, COMSUBPAC and other organizations, which are the direct result of support provided by Chief Guski and his crew. Representatives from these commands, as well as squadron EMOs, routinely call Chief Guski PERSONALLY; he is the only one they trust when they are in a jam and need immediate support! He has been the heart and sole of this warfighter-driven command...."

Photo of SSgt Herman SSgt Michael E. Herman is a native of Canby, Oregon. He enlisted in the Marine Corps April 1981. After completion of Administrative and Personnel Clerk School, he was assigned to Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 11, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3d Marine Air Wing, El Toro, CA as a Personnel Clerk and PCS/TAD NCO. He transferred to Inspector-Instructor Staff, 23d Marine Regiment, Alemeda, CA in 1985 where he served as the S-3 Operations/Training Clerk. He completed Recruiter School in 1988, and was assigned, as a recruiter, to Headquarters, 12 Marine Corps District, Naval Station Treasure Island, San Francisco. In 1990, he reported to Headquarters Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division FMF, Camp Pendleton, CA as the Administrative Chief for the Battalion. During this tour, he was deployed to Saudi Arabia/Kuwait for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He was then transferred to 2d Battalion, 9th Marines, 1st MarDiv FMF at Camp Pendleton as the Administrative Chief. He was deployed with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I-MEF, FMFPAC, where he participated in securing the Mogadishu airfield and in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia, and in the Southwest Asian Cease-fire Campaign in the Persian Gulf. In 1994 he was assigned to Instructor-Inspector Staff, Battery P, 5th Battalion, 14th Marines in Aurora, Colorado. In 1995 he assumed his current position as Company Administrative Chief for Sub Unit One, Alpha Company, Buckley ANGB, Aurora, Colorado.

In forwarding his nomination, CO, NSGA, Denver stated: "Staff Sergeant Herman's professionalism and devotion to duty clearly exemplifies the outstanding cryptologic support for which the Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association recognizes as vital to the accomplishment of the cryptologic mission....MGySgt Herman worked diligently to ensure that Company A, Marine Support Battalion administrative requirements were taken care of, ensuring that the Marines of Company A could concentrate 100% of their efforts towards the accomplishment of their cryptologic mission."