Defense Contract Management Agency’s Eastern Region awarded Brian McMonagle its 2024 “Swanny” Deployer Award for hard work and dedication during his recent deployment.
McMonagle, a contract administrator for DCMA Radars and Sensors, will now vie for the main agency award against fellow regional winners.
The award stems from McMonagle’s deployment with the agency’s Contingency Response Force in Wiesbaden, Germany, where he supported Security Assistance Group — Ukraine, or SAG-U, and the Operational Contract Support Integration Cell, known as OCSIC, to support contract portfolios based in Germany and Poland.
He developed multiple Acquisition Cross Servicing Agreement orders that provided Logistical Support, Supplies and Services to NATO Allies for monetary reimbursement to support the Unified Architecture Framework against Russian aggression.
McMonagle considers the award a distinct honor, as it is named in recognition of Kent “Swanny” Schvaneveldt, former deputy director of DCMA Boeing Mesa (Arizona), who passed away in January 2024.
“Swanny was a former OCSIC chief supporting SAG-U. Towards the end of his tour in November 2023, he took ill in Germany and later passed at home in Mesa,” McMonagle said. “He previously served in the Army, retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel, and later deployed for DCMA multiple times over the course of his career.
I was already extremely proud to support SAG-U without being considered for any type of acknowledgment But, upon hearing the deployment award was named after ‘Swanny,’ it really hit home and makes the consideration for an agency-wide award even more special.”
McMonagle never met Schvaneveldt but said he had assisted him with his deployment onboarding.
“'Swanny' helped onboard me from Germany with all the requirements via email before my arrival,” McMonagle said. “The entire SAG-U team spoke very highly of him,’ and his knowledge and experience will never be forgotten.”
The commitment displayed by McMonagle made him an automatic candidate for the award, said Ricardo Cavazos, a supervisory contract specialist for DCMA Radars and Sensors.
“I nominated Brian because of his remarkable work ethic and critical contributions to the SAG-U mission,” Cavazos said. “He stepped into a challenging environment, leading a team at half capacity and managing over 200 million dollars in logistics projects while validating another fifty million in mission-critical requirements for Ukraine.”
Despite these demands, Cavazos said McMonagle consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and adaptability.
“His decision to extend his deployment twice, despite personal challenges, reflects his commitment and resilience,” he said. “At his home duty station, Brian's dedication remains unwavering as he continues to lead by example and mentor others. He's truly deserving of this recognition.”
McMonagle joined DCMA in 2019 and is a former career firefighter from Bayonne, New Jersey, who retired with the rank of captain after 26 years of service.
