GEICO Recognizes Outstanding U.S. Service Members with Military Service Awards

GEICO honored five members of the U.S. military last night in Washington, D.C., with its 2017 GEICO Military Service Awards. The award recognizes service members for their leadership and devoted service addressing health and safety issues in their local and Military communities.

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The recipients made significant impacts by creating safer environments for their fellow citizens in one of these three areas: Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention; Fire Safety and Fire Prevention; Traffic Safety and Accident Prevention. The GEICO Military Service Awards have recognized members of the U.S. military for their contributions since 1988.

During the ceremony, GEICO's CEO Tony Nicely remarked, “GEICO has been dedicated to supporting the men and women serving our country since we opened in 1936. We are proud to continue this tradition for 30 years now. We salute these honorees not only for their military service but for improving the safety and well-being of others in their communities.”

The 2017 GEICO Military Service Award recipients are:

United States Army

Specialist Kody L. Kill is assigned as an intelligence analyst, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Force Group (Airborne), Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. He is cited for his work in fire safety and fire prevention.

As a volunteer firefighter for the North Okaloosa County Fire Department for over two years, Kill has logged over 5,000 hours assisting local full-time firefighters in maintaining equipment and responding to calls around the clock. His innovative approach to training soldiers on all aspects of fire safety allowed his unit the flexibility to send soldiers to valuable local training without negative impacts on unit readiness.

United States Navy

Petty Officer 1st Class Renemar D. Astorga is assigned as the leading petty officer of the Surgical Services Directorate at U.S. Naval Hospital Guam. He is cited for his outstanding work in drug and alcohol abuse prevention.

As the leading Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program (SARP) counselor on the island of Guam, Astorga coordinates all assessments and treatment plans for service members with substance misuse at the outpatient and intensive outpatient levels. During his tour, Astorga’s administration of in-house treatment programs provided care for 25,000 beneficiaries and saved the Navy more than $385,000. Additionally, he is continuing his education in instructor training supporting Occupational Stress Control and Psychological First Aid.

United States Coast Guard

Petty Officer 1st Class Steven L. Mensen is assigned to Coast Guard Base New Orleans, New Orleans, La., and is recognized for his work in fire safety and fire prevention.

As Fire Marshal, and Fire and Safety Division Manager, Petty Officer Mensen performs National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) life safety inspections for Base NOLA and multiple sub-units spanning the Gulf Coast and the Midwestern states, covering over 200,000 square feet of facilities.

Mensen wrote and established the emergency action plans and memorandums of agreement with local fire departments. He achieved the goal of zero preventable mishaps through a series of visits to review plans and through NFPA fire inspections.

United States Air Force

Technical Sergeant Edward J. Mauss is assigned to the 96th Security Forces Squadron, 96th Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., as a criminal investigator. Mauss is recognized for his work in drug and alcohol abuse prevention.

Mauss also served as the Air Force Office of Special Investigation (AFOSI) representative for the local county drug task force. He led the task force on base-affiliated drug operations that resulted in civilian drug dealers being arrested and removed from the military installation. Mauss conducted 25 base drug awareness briefs for over 1,000 base personnel covering 13 tenet units, and significantly enhanced the Base Drug Abuse Prevention Program.

In his off-duty time, Mauss serves as a key member of the local police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team and has logged over 100 hours of training for hostile drug events.

United States Air Force Reserve

Technical Sergeant Lori L. Darling is assigned to the 433 Security Forces Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas, and is recognized for her work in traffic safety and accident prevention.

Darling developed and maintained the Security Forces Motorcycle ORM program. She oversaw more than 200 class and live training hours when she was recognized by the 502 ABW Safety Office. Darling also served as the unit ground/explosive safety programs manager, and identified an increase in traffic risk during peak hours and implemented traffic direction operations.

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