Worker’s Idea Helps Navy; He Gets $27,500

The Navy awarded a Jamaican-born jet engine mechanic $27,500 on Friday for suggesting a repair procedure that is saving the government $11 million a year.

Winston Edwards, 34, received the check and a commendation signed by President Reagan during ceremonies hosted by Vice Adm. Joseph B. Wilkenson Jr., the head of the Naval Air Systems Command.

Edwards, a civilian mechanic at the Alameda Naval Aviation Depot in California, previously had received $7,500 under the Beneficial Suggestion Awards Program for prodding his local depot and the command to make the change in repair and overhaul procedures.

The additional money presented Friday recognizes the high annual savings now accruing since Edwards’ suggestion was applied throughout the military system.

The combined award of $35,000 is “the highest cash award that can be given to a civilian employee under the Beneficial Suggestion Awards Program,” the Navy said.

Edwards, who was brought to America at the age of 11, works as a jet engine repairman at the Alameda depot. His campaign to save money began when he suggested to his superiors that instead of just throwing out combustion engine liners during overhauls of TF-34 engines, the Navy could take two bad liners and fashion one good one.

The TF-34 engine is used to power the Navy’s S-3 Viking submarine-hunting plane and the Air Force’s A-10 Thunderbolt ground-attack jet. Each engine liner costs about $18,660 new. The Alameda depot overhauls about 500 TF-34 engines every year.