Tobyhanna Artisans Honored on National Merchant Day | condition

Tobyhanna Army Depot celebrated National Tradesmen Day by highlighting some of its expert tradesmen and saluting all tradesmen who contribute to the organization’s mission.

The depot employs craftsmen in a variety of trades for both mission and core operations.

Many other tradesmen work in the Installation Services Directorate’s Facilities Maintenance Branch, where they provide critical support to basic operations and handle a broad task ranging from plumbing to electrical and beyond, according to Public Works Department Chief James Wisnoski.

“The Facilities Maintenance Branch defines what it means to be a customer service organization. No matter how complex or urgent the mission, they are always ready to meet the challenge. Their efforts ensure Tobyhanna can deliver on the C5ISR mission.”

Scott Porte joined the Facilities Maintenance Branch three years ago, after a successful career as a commercial electrician. A father of five, he says he sought a federal job for a chance.

“My family is the most important thing to me, and my previous career had me constantly working 11-12 hours a day, 7 days a week. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Tobyhanna team, where I can use my skills while also achieving a great work-life balance .

Porte praised the warehouse workforce as one of the organization’s greatest assets.

“I’ve made some of the best friends I’ve ever had here. The people here are amazing.”

While the expansive warehouse campus allows Borte to leverage his electrical knowledge, he considers himself a lifelong learner and recently joined Installation Services Managers as part of the Federal Pay System Directorate’s TOBY2035 internship program. He says the training was truly amazing.

“Following Mr. Ramey and Ms. Leonard has changed my perception of what it takes to be a great leader at Tobyhanna. Experiences like this (training) are key to dispelling myths and improving our culture,” he said, adding that he hopes to use his dynamic background to benefit Tobyhanna’s business operations in the future.

Porte graduated from East Stroudsburg University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Psychology and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree. He is also a current member of the 2023-2024 Leadership Lackawanna Core Class.

In his personal life, Porte enjoys playing golf, spending time with his family, and volunteering in his community.

Michael Gaudet is a maintenance mechanic in the Installation Services Directorate. He is known throughout TYAD for his wealth of capabilities which include plumbing, pipefitting, heat management and boilers at the base. Before joining the Tobyhanna team in 2008, he had 15 years of experience doing residential and commercial work of the same type.

Although Gaudit has taken a few lessons here and there, he considers himself trained for the job. He said he trained alongside individuals with years of experience and learned many best practices from these mentors. Although he is grateful for the experience he gained, he looked to TYAD for something better, citing flexibility as one of the main things that brought him here.

Since TYAD covers an area of ​​2.4 million square feet, it is easy to imagine that no two days are the same. Gaudet said that’s what he likes most about working here.

“For me, it’s always something different. I’m not in the same place every day,” Gaudet said. “We have a lot of different buildings around TYAD and I’m in different buildings all the time. No job is ever the same.”

One of his most notable warehouse career accomplishments to date came in 2010 when Godet served for six months in Afghanistan where he worked on counter improvised explosive devices. Although he never officially enrolled, he said he views this amazing experience as his way of helping to give back.

Outside of TYAD, Gaudette enjoys the outdoors, describes himself as an avid golfer, hunter and fisherman. He also enjoys spending time with his family and watching his four grandchildren participate in youth football and baseball.

Daniel Unger is an air conditioning equipment mechanic in the Installation Services Directorate. Unger, who grew up in a nearby community, said he has known about TYAD and its mission to support the Warfighter for most of his life. He attended Johnson College where he graduated with a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) degree in 2019 and said that after graduation, he wanted to do his best to join the talented workforce at Depot.

Unger described himself as a practical person. He said he knew early on that he wanted to get into an industry that would allow him to keep his hands moving. He took an interest in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) after tracking down a family friend who owned an HVAC company.

Unger officially joined the Tobyhanna team in 2020 as a contractor and was hired as a full-time employee in May 2022. Like Gaudette, he said his favorite thing about working at TYAD is that every day is different and presents a new challenge.

“The thing I like most about my job is that there are so many different places and so many different types of equipment. I even have my own truck,” Unger said. “(TYAD) is almost like a small town, so I’m not working on the same equipment every day. “It’s always something new.”

When he’s not at work, Unger stays busy riding his 2021 Harley Davidson motorcycle and working on his vintage truck, a 1984 Ford F350. He also has his own HVAC company that does residential installations in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Facilities Maintenance Branch Chief John McKinney III praised the trio and emphasized their commitment to Tobyhanna’s mission.

“These are some of the most dedicated people I have ever worked with. They stay late or come in at all hours of the day to handle emergencies. “I feel honored to lead this team, and I hope we continue to exceed expectations,” Installation Services Manager William Ramey agreed.

“They bring a wealth of knowledge to support our critical infrastructure requirements. Their commitment to teamwork and solving complex problems contributes to the success of our entire installation,” Ramey said.

Joshua Ward is one of the newest members of the Tobyhanna team, working as a heavy mobile equipment mechanic in the Mobile Equipment Branch of the Production Engineering Directorate. Ward and his colleagues at the Motor Pool warehouse maintain mission-critical equipment like forklifts, utility vehicles, excavators and more.

A native of northeastern Pennsylvania, Ward worked in the private sector as a plumber before beginning his career in warehouses. He says his current role best suits his abilities.

“I worked as a mechanic in the Army, so being part of the Motor Pool allows me to use that experience. Every day here is unique, and I love being able to work on different types of equipment for different reasons. Some days, I struggle to fix a door latch On other days, I change the batteries.

Among Ward’s key roles is serving as a Tobyhanna rollback operator – a role pivotal to Tobyhanna’s mission of supporting military readiness. Return material movement is required to move assets from one part of the warehouse to another, as well as move equipment in and out of service that is not available in the Motor Pool.

Although he has only served as a civilian in the Army for a few months, Ward is no stranger to the Tobyhanna Army Depot – he previously served as a member of the 392nd Signal Battalion of the U.S. Army Reserve. Ward continues to serve his country as a member of the 412th Engineer Company, headquartered in Scranton, and has more than 10 years of military service under his belt.

Like others, Ward pointed to the huge number of opportunities available at the Tobyhanna Army Depot and said he is setting big goals for himself.

“In the future, I want to move into leadership, and I am now working on identifying courses that can help me grow. I also want to continue my education.”

In his limited free time, Ward enjoys DIY projects at his home, spending time with his two young children, and fishing – especially on Lake Barney.

Ward’s supervisor, Michael Fedoresin, celebrated Ward and the impact he has made in such a short time.

“Josh is a great worker and a true asset to our Motor Pool team. He doesn’t hesitate to take on repairs outside of his normal daily routine, as he is always looking to expand his skill set. His leadership and strong work ethic demonstrate his passion for supporting his fellow fighters.”

Those interested in future employment opportunities with Team Tobyhanna can apply through USAJobs at www.usajobs.gov.

Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for C5ISR systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna’s corporate philosophy, dedicated workforce and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the joint C5ISR provider of choice for all branches of the armed forces and industry partners.

Tobyhanna’s unparalleled capabilities include complete sustainment and overhaul logistics support, fabrication and fabrication, engineering design and development, systems integration, post-production program support, technology insertion and modification, foreign military sales and global field support for our joint warfighters.

About 3,500 people work in Tobyhanna, which is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications and Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the command’s mission is to empower the Soldier by acquiring C5ISR capabilities.