FORT PICKETT, Va. –
Brig. Gen. Walter Mercer, Virginia National Guard Assistant Adjutant General – Army, and Command Sergeant Maj. Cheyenne Johnson, Virginia Army National Guard State Command Sergeant Major, presented certificates to Virginia Army Guard units for outstanding performance in the regional Army Award for Maintenance Excellence Program Sept. 17, 2016, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The top units will represent Virginia at the national-level competition.
“I am proud of our units being able to compete and win at the regional level of the 54 states and territories,” said Col. Michael H. Swanson, deputy chief of staff for logistics for the Virginia Army National Guard. “It is a true reflection of their hard work and maintenance excellence in their respective units. I am looking forward to their binders going forward to compete at the Department of the Army level.”
The following units were recognized:
– Blackstone-based 3647th Maintenance Company, 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group took first place in the National Guard medium-sized MTOE category
– Sandston-based 224th Aviation Battalion, 91st Troop Command took first place in the National Guard aviation maintenance category.
– Gate City-based 1032 Transportation Company, 1030th Transportation Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group took second place in the National Guard medium-sized MTOE category
– Emporia-based 1710th Transportation Company, 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group took fourth lace in the National Guard medium-sized MTOE category
Awards are presented base on size categories with small being up to 100 personnel, medium being between 101 and 300 personnel and large being more than 300 personnel as well as in active Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard MOTE and TDA categories.
According to the U. S. Army Ordnance Corps & School web site, the Army Award for Maintenance Excellence award winner displays an expertise and professionalism in performing their tasks, and each unit is evaluated on their effectiveness in ensuring that Soldier competency is maintained. Assessments of each unit in the categories of attitude and effective leadership are rated with a benchmark based on those of past winners, and the tenets of exceptional maintenance processes that were exhibited are validated and ranked.
The mission of AAME is to improve and sustain readiness, provide positive incentives for extraordinary maintenance efforts, improve efficiency and reduce waste, encourage innovative use of existing management tools, recognize outstanding maintenance accomplishments and initiatives, encourage competition and provide a structure for recognition of units at all levels.