19 Jan 2000 by Tech. An Air Force major has been named Air Force engineer of the year by a major engineering society. Barry Mines, chief of the pavements evaluation section fo r Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency, was honored by the National Society of Professional Engineers as its Air Force winner. He is now one of 10 finalists for the Federal Engineer of the Year award and will compete against engineers from other federal agencies.
Mines is a specialist in pavement evaluations.
Using sophisticated equipment he and his pavement evaluation team determine the strength and durability of airfields. In 1999, Mines and his pavement team deployed to Europe for 80 days in support of Operation Allied Force. There, his team evaluated 11 airfields in six countries in support of the allied bombing offensive in the Yugoslav region. That really made his day. Mines has a civil engineering degree from Virginia Military Institute and a master's degree in civil engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.