Jeffrey Pantaleo, who earned his master’s degree from San Diego State, is one of three people to receive the Chief of Naval Operation Environmental Award for Cultural Resources Management, the Navy has announced.
“I am very honored that my nomination was forwarded for this award,” Pantaleo said. “Working with the Native Hawaiian groups here has been very rewarding and the friendships I have developed with them have benefited both me and the Navy.”
A Naval Facilities Engineering Command archaeologist, Pantaleo is the Cultural Resources Program manager for Navy Region Hawaii and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Oahu.
He manages a wide range of cultural resources including native Hawaiian sites and objects, some dating back to 1200 AD.
“Jeff’s expertise is vital in our ability to balance mission demands and Navy cultural stewardship responsibilities on Oahu,” said Capt. Dean Tufts, commanding officer NAVFAC Hawaii.
“He has succeeded in developing outreach and education programs that created our team of Navy, native Hawaiians and community leaders in order to participate in various activities and programs such as the annual JBPHH Makahiki festival honoring the Hawaiian deity Lono and restoration efforts at Pa’ai’au fish pond.”
During the past two years, Pantaleo has ensured the Navy was in compliance with all state and federal historic preservation laws and guidelines and has successfully completed the timely review and execution of some 225 projects, 15 Section 106 consultations and two memorandums of agreement.
Pantaleo also is an instructor in the Native Hawaiian Communication Course to educate Department of Defense Hawaii personnel about consulting with Native Hawaiian Organizations.
He is responsible and the primary caretaker of the Halealoha Haleamau Burial Platform, a traditional Hawaiian burial vault, on JBPHH for over eight years. Pantaleo ensures that all new archaeological resources and artifacts are properly inventoried; stored in the Navy’s curatorial facility which serves JBPHH and Pacific Missile Range Facility Kauai.
He also provides cultural resources management support for Air Force landholdings in Hawaii.
I’m very excited that Jeff is being recognized for his work in Hawaiian cultural preservation and issues,” said Shad Kane, Hawaiian cultural practitioner and active member in the Kapolei Hawaiian Civic Club.
“He has played a big part in improving the relationship between federal agencies, the Navy specifically, and native Hawaiian organizations. His participation in the restoration of various Hawaiian sites has been instrumental in helping us all grow and I commend him for all of his efforts.”
Pantaleo, originally from Chicago, Illinois, began his career in archaeology by completing an undergraduate degree in anthropology from the University of Hawaii. He continued his education at San Diego State University, earning his master’s degree.
Pantaleo worked in archaeology in Hawaii in the private sector for many years before becoming a federal employee and working five years for Hickam Air Force Base and the past four years with NAVFAC Hawaii. He is currently a resident of Aiea, Hawaii.
The CNO Environmental Awards are the first of three levels of competition within the Department of Defense. CNO winners are submitted for consideration in the Secretary of the Navy Environmental Awards competition. Winners at the SECNAV level of competition are submitted to compete in the Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards competition.
Earlier this month, Vice Adm. Phil Cullom, deputy chief of naval operations for fleet readiness and logistics, announced other winners of the fiscal year 2014 Chief of Naval Operations Environmental Awards competition.
Categories and winners with San Diego County connections were:
Environmental Quality, Industrial Installation
- Fleet Readiness Center Southwest, San Diego, California
Sustainability, Non-Industrial Installation
- Naval Base San Diego
- Naval Medical Center San Diego
Sustainability, Individual or Team
- Naval Base Coronado
- Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center San Diego
- Navy Region Southwest Sustainable Solid Waste Program, San Diego
In a naval message announcing the winners, Cullom commended the awardees.
“I would like to congratulate all the nominees and winners of the FY 2014 CNO Environmental Awards. Their participation in this competition exemplifies their dedication to environmental stewardship in pursuit of our Navy’s overall mission. These achievements underscore that each contribution can have a tremendous long term impact in conserving our environmental surroundings and resources.”
