NSWC Panama City Engineer Recognized

From Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Public Affairs

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (NNS) -- A Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Panama City, Fla., engineer received the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) 2010 Technology Advancement Medal during the 2011 Joint Engineer Education and Training Conference and Expo, in Grapevine, Texas, May 25.

Alan Canfield, NSWC Panama City counter improvised explosive device (C-IED) program manager, received the annual award that honors initiative in advancement of existing engineering and related technology. Canfield was nominated for his work in the development, fielding and sustainment of the Panama City Mine Roller System.

"I sincerely appreciate the distinction of this award," Canfield said. "It would not have been possible without years of hard work by many U.S. Marine Corps and Navy active-duty and civilian personnel, and our dedicated industry partners."

In the summer 2006, the U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command Program Manager for Engineer Systems asked Canfield to provide a solution to the emerging use of pressure plate IEDs against U.S. Marine Corps and Coalition forces in Iraq. Canfield and his team began research, development, test and evaluation efforts to prototype a mine roller, a pressure plate IED-defeat system used to prevent or reduce the effects of IEDs on combat personnel and vehicles.

The team delivered their first prototype 90 days later. As of October 2010, the mine roller team has delivered more than 1,000 C-IED mine rollers.

"Alan's team met a pressing combat related need by U.S. forces serving not only overseas, but directly in harm's way," said SAME Panama City Post President Bryan Muller, who nominated Canfield for the award. "While many engineering projects like infrastructure or facilities can take years to develop, this was a great case of looking at a problem for an effective solution that was both quick to deploy and low in cost."