Contracting Command recognizes 414th Contracting Support Brigade for excellence

By Col. Christine Beeler and Lt. Col. Douglas Miller, 414th Contracting Support Brigade Commander and XOJune 17, 2015

414th CSB receives award
George L. Brown (right) accepts 2014 Secretary of the Army Award for Outstanding Unit/Team Award for Installation Level on behalf of the 414th Contracting Support Brigade's Service and Construction Team. Presenting the award is the Expeditionary Cont... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

VICENZA, Italy - Brig. Gen. Michael Hoskin, commanding general of the Expeditionary Contracting Command in Huntsville, Ala., and Command Sgt. Maj. Angel Clark, ECC command sergeant major, traveled to Vicenza to recognize 414th Contracting Support Brigade personnel for their accomplishments over the past year. Recognition focused specifically on the successful contracting mission in support of Operation United Assistance, the U.S.-led coalition effort to eradicate the Ebola virus in Africa.

The award ceremony provided ECC and 414th command teams the opportunity to recognize the outstanding work of 414th CSB members, as well as key personnel in U.S. Army Africa and the Vicenza community who help 414th accomplish their mission on a daily basis.

Hoskin presented the 2014 Secretary of the Army Award for Outstanding Unit/Team Award for Installation Level -Directorate of Contracting - to 414th Contracting Support Brigade's Service and Construction Team, Regional Contracting Office-Italy. The RCO-Italy Services and Construction Team was the driving force in providing customer support, increasing contract efficiencies, effectively managing human resources and process improvement, which made a direct impact to U.S. Army Garrison-Vicenza. The award recognizes the Service and Construction Team as the top installation-level contracting team out of 146 teams throughout Army Contracting Command.

During the visit, the general and command sergeant major also conducted a Town Hall meeting with 414th employees to update them on the future of the Army Acquisition workforce, discuss important career progression changes (actual and proposed) regarding civilian and Italian local national employees, and take questions from the crowd.

Finally, on the eve of her retirement, Clark wanted to directly thank members of 414th for support to the ECC during her three-year tenure.

The 414th has a diverse and complex mission supporting European Command / U.S. Army Europe missions and installation-level contracting for the USAG-Vicenza and Livorno, as well as operational planning and expeditionary contracting for USAFRICOM, USARAF, and SOCAFRICA missions across the African continent. RCO-Italy provides contracting business advice and support to all customers within the Vicenza Military Community. RCO-Africa supports its customers' missions on the African continent not only from their offices in Vicenza, but by sending contracting personnel to the continent to work side-by-side with Warfighter customers. As an example, the 414th CSB sent a contracting officer with the USARAF commanding general on the first flight to Liberia at the start of Operation United Assistance. Over the course of OUA, RCO-Africa awarded and/or administered contracts valued at more than $93 million.

The 414th CSB harnesses the capabilities and capacity of industry and local markets to provide commanders with critical enablers to fight and win in a complex world. The "Ethics and Oversight" Brigade personnel are proud members of every organization they support.

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