Wisconsin Electrical Utilities/Department of Military Affairs partnership awarded by U.S. Army
The Wisconsin Electrical Utilities/Department of Military Affairs Public-Private Partnership was recognized with a 2018 Army Community Partnership Award during a ceremony held Dec. 4 at the Pentagon in Washington.
The award, presented by the Department of the Army Office of Installation Management, recognizes the Department of Military Affairs’ success in collaborating with private partners in the electric utilities field throughout Wisconsin to mitigate risk to the power grid, identify opportunities to improve incident recovery, and develop practices that demonstrate an “all hazards” approach to cooperation between government and private entities.
Seven U.S. Army installations and neighboring communities were selected for demonstrating partnerships that enhance Army readiness, modernize Army processes and improve business reform while building stronger community relationships.
The Department of Military Affairs and Wisconsin utility companies have worked collaboratively on a number of exercises incorporating physical and cyber threats to the state’s power grid as well as the state’s response to long-term power outages.
The public-private partnership brings together the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs, which includes Wisconsin Emergency Management and the Wisconsin National Guard, and the following utility companies: Alliant Energy, American Transmission Company, Madison Gas and Electric, WEC Energy Group, WPPI Energy and Xcel Energy.
Photo caption: David Wilson (center), manager of corporate security at ATC, was on hand in Washington to accept the award on behalf of the partnership, along with Brig. Gen. David O’Donahue, deputy adjutant general, Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs; Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Mark Michie, chief of staff, joint staff, Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs; and Lt. Col. G. David Brown, deputy director, domestic operations, Wisconsin Army National Guard. The delegation is flanked by Jordan Gillis (far left), acting assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and the Environment; and Lt. Gen. Gwen Bingham (far right), Army assistant chief of staff for Installation Management.
