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Military Service Award Winners

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GEICO Military Service Award Winners For 2009

For 22 years now, GEICO has recognized and honored our Military Service Award winners. The outstanding Military members you see here and on the following pages are being recognized for their work in Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention, Traffic Safety and Accident Prevention, and Fire Safety and Fire Prevention. The recipients represent each branch of the Military including the Guard/Reserve communities. The work of these young men and women includes not only what they do for their commands, but what they do for the communities in which they live and work. GEICO is honored to be able to recognize such outstanding Military members and citizens.

Jason R. Vickodil

Jason R. Vickodil is the Army recipient of the 2009 GEICO Military Service Award for his work in traffic safety and accident prevention.

Staff Sergeant Vickodil is assigned to the Schweinfurt, Germany, Warrior Transition Unit. He is a regular volunteer at the MWR community Car Care Center.

What started out as helping a friend make safety repairs to his personal automobile, grew into a formal "I Can Do It" program at the Car Care Center. This program not only teaches Soldiers how to perform basic maintenance and vehicle safety checks, it also includes the family members of deployed Soldiers. This program was later expanded to a holiday and weekend safety inspection program for his unit which resulted in zero vehicle safety issues during the time he was assigned to that unit. SSG Vickodil has logged more than 1,500 hours assisting soliders and family members with repairs of safety-related personal automobile issues in Germany.

Christopher C. Fulgium

Christopher C. Fulgium is the Marine Corps recipient of the 2009 GEICO Military Service Award for his work in traffic safety and accident prevention.

Staff Sergeant Fulgium is assigned as a data communications instructor for B Company, Marine Corps Communications-Electronics School Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California.

SSgt Fulgium was instrumental in implementing a motorcycle safety program at MCCES in order to address the high rate of injuries and deaths among Marines due to motorcycle accidents. He trains approximately 800 students a month in the responsibilities of motorcycle ownership, proper registration, and the proper wearing of required personal protective equipment. He conducts this training in addition to his regular duties as a full time instructor. His hard work also resulted in MCCES receiving the award given by the National Motorcycle Safety Foundation for the Best Motorcycle Club in the United States.
Dwayne L. Lowry

Dwayne L. Lowry is the Navy recipient of the 2009 GEICO Military Service Award for his work in fire safety and fire prevention.

Petty Officer First Class Lowry is assigned to V4 Division, USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71), Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.

Petty Officer Lowry has served with distinction for more than 10 years of sea duty on board USS GUAM (LPH-9), USS SAIPAN (LHA-2), and his current ship, USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71). He volunteered to serve as an individual augmentee at Al Asad AB, Iraq, as the Assistant Responsible Officer and earned an Army Commendation Medal for his meritorious service. In addition to his duties as the Fuels Division Flight Deck Leading Petty Officer in ROOSEVELT, he has dedicated over sixteen hundred hours of off-duty time to the Phoebus Fire Department, Hampton, Virginia. He has personally responded to over 500 emergency responses to fire, EMS, and rescue operations. In 2007 he was voted the "Firefighter of the Year" by the members of the Phoebus Fire Department.
Michael T. Lund

Michael T. Lund is the Air Force recipient of the 2009 GEICO Military Service Award for his work in drug and alcohol abuse prevention.

Senior Master Sergeant Lund is assigned to the 86th Security Forces Squadron, Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

In addition to giving 45 weekly anti-DUI briefings during his regular duty hours, SMSgt Lund incorporated non-obtrusive screening techniques utilized during routine traffic stops. His efforts resulted in zero alcohol related incidents for over 180 days. He also spent time to build a Patrolman's DUI kit and a "Physician's Desk Reference" to provide clear-cut guidance immediately available to every Patrolman conducting a DUI stop or confirming prescription medication usage. Some of his off-duty activities include mentoring teens at a seven day "Club Beyond" retreat, teaching healthy and positive lifestyles. He also conducts "Effects of Alcohol" demonstrations at the local base Youth Center.
Derek N. Luman

Derek N. Luman is the Coast Guard recipient of the 2009 GEICO Military Service Award for his work in drug and alcohol abuse prevention.

Seaman Luman is assigned to Deck Department/Law Enforcement Team, USCGC KNIGHT ISLAND, Key West, Florida. He is part of the department responsible for the maintenance and preservation of all topside spaces.

SN Luman joined the KNIGHT ISLAND in August 2008 and quickly became a qualified Boarding Team Member and has conducted more than 25 high visibility boardings including four which were classified as major drug disruptions at sea. In addition to spending a rigorous 2000 hours at sea and away from home this past year, SN Luman selflessly volunteered on more than 40 different occasions during his sparse off-duty time at Key West's Poinciana Elementary School. Through creative "question and answer" seminars highlighting the Coast Guard's counter-drug mission, he ingeniously linked narco-interdiction efforts at sea to the end result of keeping drugs out of schools and out of children's hands.
Joseph A. Grasso, Jr.

Joseph A. Grasso Jr. is the Reserve and National Guard recipient of the 2009 GEICO Military Service Award for his work in fire safety and prevention.

Sergeant First Class Grasso is assigned to the 332nd Transportation Battalion in Tampa, Florida. In addition to his regular military duties, he is a Firefighter Paramedic and a dedicated community volunteer.

While serving in a duty capacity, SFC Grasso shares his firefighting and medical training with others and uses his skills to help injured or ill Soldiers. In his local community, he helps save lives by participating in paramedic education, fire prevention, and accident prevention programs. In addition, SFC Grasso actively participates in the local fire department's Home Safe Program where he inspects homes for fire hazards, helps residents establish fire escape plans, and recommends changes to improve home safety.