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thedrifter
02-07-06, 07:18 AM
RCT-8 Marine receives Copernicus Award
II Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD)
Story by:Cpl. Heidi E. Loredo

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq(Feb. 7, 2006) -- The 2005 Copernicus Award recognized Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard military and civilian personnel who significantly contributed to naval warfare in the areas of command, control, communications, computers and intelligence, information systems or information warfare.

Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Eunice of Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division, was recently recognized for excellence in the communication field with his selection as a Copernicus Award recipient.

The annual awards honor 16th century astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus, each year by presenting Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and civilians who show similar forward-thinking. It is co-sponsored by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association and U.S. Naval Institute.

As a tactical data network specialist for RCT-8, Eunice, of Virginia Beach, Va., is responsible for the daily operation and maintenance of a network which comprises half of the ground combat power for the Marine Corps in Iraq. This includes the physical maintenance of all servers, routers and switches, implementing software upgrades and monitoring and updating all virus definitions and software.

He is also tasked with designing and implementing system upgrades, architecture modification and engineering and implementing additions to these networks.

“Eunice is a technically superior Marine who possesses an impressive ability to lead, a strong work ethic and the initiative necessary to combine his talents to improve the system architecture,” said Maj. Robert R. Brunkalla, S-6, RCT-8, who nominated Eunice for the award. “[He] continually seeks to improve the network design supporting the regiment of more than 4,200 Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Soldiers.”

Eunice, who was recently promoted to his present rank, considers himself lucky to receive the award since there are many Marines involved in accomplishing the daily mission.

“People don’t understand the complications involved with our job,” said the 26-year-old. “Many people put a lot of effort in enabling the basic things such as e-mail. I’m grateful to receive this award, but I wish more people could receive it. Anyone involved deserves it. Not enough people are recognized.”

Brunkalla said Eunice is the epitome of a Marine [staff noncommissioned officer] and has established himself as the go-to individual within the regiment for all data related problems and questions.

“His thirst for knowledge, refusal to be limited by paradigms, ability to envision the possible network improvements coupled with his vast technical knowledge make [him] a combat multiplier to the regiment, the division and the [communications] community as a whole on this modern battlefield,” said Brunkalla.

Eunice engineers and tailors mission-specific circuits required in support of combat operations beyond the line of sight throughout the entire area of operations covering thousands of square kilometers in Al Anbar province.

The challenges placed before Eunice keep him on his toes and makes this deployment a rewarding experience for him.

“There is always something new,” said Eunice. “There can be 190 things that will go wrong and I have to figure out how to fix them. Sometimes you just have to learn on your own. No one knows all of it so you have to go out and find it.”