News Story Archive

District Employee Recognized for Excellence

Public Affairs
Published Oct. 16, 2015
ALBQUERQUE, N.M. – District Commander Lt. Col. Patrick Dagon presents Daniel J. (Joe) Martinez with the Castle Award, Oct. 6, 2015.

ALBQUERQUE, N.M. – District Commander Lt. Col. Patrick Dagon presents Daniel J. (Joe) Martinez with the Castle Award, Oct. 6, 2015.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Conchas Lake Project Staff with Joe Martinez (center), winner of the 2015 USACE Castle Award, Oct. 6, 2015.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Conchas Lake Project Staff with Joe Martinez (center), winner of the 2015 USACE Castle Award, Oct. 6, 2015.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The 2015 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Castle Award winner is District employee Daniel J. (Joe) Martinez. District Commander Lt. Col. Patrick Dagon presented the award to Martinez during the District’s end-of-year town hall meeting, Oct. 6, 2015.

Since 2002, the Castle Award is awarded annually to recognize wage grade and similar series employees working in support of Operations and of Civil Works Infrastructure.

The award nomination criteria states that “Nominees must have demonstrated a pattern of excellence and exceptional performance of their duties reflecting exemplary team support and interaction. They must demonstrate qualities to serve as a role model for other wage grade employees through facilitation and support to their team.”

Martinez is a maintenance mechanic supervisor at the District’s Conchas Lake Project Office and has worked there for nearly 30 years. During his tenure at Conchas, Martinez has overseen numerous critical projects at the project including upgrading the hydraulic valves within the irrigation headworks; significant repairs to the roof, walls, waterlines, and propane tanks of the historic Adobe Bell Resort properties; the Powerhouse Roof and Window Replacement project, which will soon be awarded; and work performed by the Bureau of Reclamation to remove about 9,000 cubic yards of sediment from the irrigation intake channel. 

“Upon completion in 1939, the Conchas Dam was the 17th USACE dam constructed in the nation, and the first project constructed in the Albuquerque District. The maintenance requirements are extraordinary and extensive, and also require special attention and care due to the fact the project is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Mr. Martinez works relentlessly to ensure all maintenance work is performed to the highest technical and historical standards. One of Mr. Martinez’s greatest attributes is that he remains calm and composed at all times and exercises tact and diplomacy no matter the situation or who he is working or communicating with,” states Martinez’s award nomination. 

After receiving the award Martinez thanked “the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, all my mentors, District supporters, project co-workers, everyone I worked with throughout the years, and my family for all their help and support to make my work career an enjoyable one for the last 31 years. I am honored to receive the Castle Award and represent the Albuquerque District, South Pacific Division, USACE, and its dedicated hard working people.” Martinez added that he tries to live by this quote from his dad, “Always treat people with respect and the way that you would like to be treated.”

“I'm proud to have Joe on our team. He represents the excellence that we strive to provide all of our customers, from the recreating public to the air bases we serve. I'm very pleased that his performance was recognized nationally by the Corps,” said Lt. Col. Dagon.