FORT CARSON, Colo. -- The Army's Installation Management Command (IMCOM) honored Mike Webb, Fort Carson's director of Human Resources, with the 2014 Central Region Stalwart Award.
The award is presented to a Soldier or civilian employee from each IMCOM region who stands out as a model leader and exemplifies the spirit of IMCOM's mission and vision. The award was presented Tuesday during the Senior Leaders and Garrison Commanders Conference in San Antonio.
"Webb and his team have been very innovative the last few years in how they've approached training and preparing our transitioning Soldiers," said Deputy Garrison Commander Rod Chisholm. "They stood up the Transition University, which goes way beyond what is spelled out in the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act (2011) as a requirement for helping Soldiers transition to civilian life."
When Webb assumed his position as director, Fort Carson's transition assistance effort consisted of a two-and-a-half-day course.
"When I started we began asking Soldiers who had completed the course if they were satisfied with what they learned, and many told me they still needed help with résumé building, interview skills and selling themselves," Webb said. "We decided then to create an eight-day course that went into much greater detail."
Transition University brought the DOD, Veterans Affairs, Department of Labor, Small Business Administration and local partners together in a structured and goal-oriented way to provide a comprehensive and informative program to transi?tioning Soldiers.
His work didn't stop with just creating the program and garnering a teaching staff. Webb also reached out to Fort Carson leadership in an effort to bring Soldiers into the course earlier in their transitioning process (eight to 12 months prior to separating) because the increased time allows Soldiers to develop better transitional plans.
Webb proved adept at building partnerships in the business community as well. With the help of local volunteers, he was able to offer Transition University to Soldiers at cost to the Army. From there, he established more partnerships, including the local union of United Association of Plumbers, Pipefitters and Sprinkler Fitters, a partnership that spawned the Veterans in Piping Program. That program addresses a growing shortage of skilled construction workers. Soldiers are enrolled in a full-time, 18-week training program, again at no cost to the Army or the Soldier and comes with guaranteed job placement upon graduation.
"I had no idea I was even considered for an award," said Webb, who leads 104 civilians, 100 contractors and 25 Soldiers in DHR. "I was notified by Col. (Joel D.) Hamilton, garrison commander, and Mr. Chisholm last week. I'm humbled that the command feels that way about me. I think it's really a win for the Fort Carson garrison and the installation."
The retired Army lieutenant colonel said he approached the position with a head full of steam and his focus has been to learn the needs of Soldiers and community partners, then act to fulfill those needs.
"I've had many mentors over the years who've taught me some of the best ways to approach challenges," he said. "One of the most important actions I've learned is to get out and communicate with people. I wanted to talk to every employee and I filled up a lot of notebooks early on, but the process doesn't end with that first contact. Even after we had established that eight-day Transition University, we went back and asked Soldiers if it was effective in helping them. And, we learned we still had work to do and adjustments to make in the program."
Last May, Webb and the DHR team partnered with community organizations to host the Military and Veterans Employment Expo (MVEE) in Colorado Springs. The expo offered employment readiness classes, which included industry-specific breakouts and a college fair culminating in a hiring event held in conjunction with a monthlong virtual job fair. The MVEE also included employment readiness training at local colleges, instruction on how to apply for government jobs, social media and interviewing techniques and one-on-one mentoring.
"We're pleased that Mr. Webb has been honored with this award and it speaks volumes about the effectiveness of our program, which has developed into something that's very high profile," Chisholm said. "Because of the Transition University and the extent of the other job fair opportunities and programs we have done here, we've had many visitors from Installation Management Command come and review the program and take back some practices to share at other installations. We've received quite a bit of visibility and so when Mr. Webb was nominated as our Stalwart Award nominee, there were a lot of folks who were already familiar with our program."
Though he's developed a reputation as both an innovator and community relationship builder in the Soldier transition realm, Webb was also recognized for his organizational leadership when Fort Carson's Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) was inspected by an IMCOM inspector general (IG) team in April. The IG team found the Fort Carson ASAP staff as dedicated and professional, Soldier-focused, well organized and that the program was performing exceptionally.
"Mr. Webb's counsel is held in high esteem by not only the installation senior leadership, but by peers, subordinates and non-DHR employees alike," Hamilton said in Webb's nomination package. "Fellow directors and staff officers frequently seek his counsel on garrison operations and personnel challenges."
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