CASEY GARRISON South Korea - Terry Blevins, chief of Red Cloud Garrison's award-winning Directorate of Logistics Maintenance Division, has an unlikely secret weapon in his toolbox - a friendly rivalry that fuels the competitive spirits of his combined Casey and Red Cloud garrison team.
"I think it's a really good tool - one that just surfaced by itself. It wasn't management driven," said Blevins, who on June 24 picked up his team's second consecutive Army Award for Maintenance Excellence during AUSA's Institute of Land Warfare Army Sustainment Symposium and Exposition in the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Va.
This year the combined Red Cloud and Casey maintenance team took home the runner-up award in the Installation Management Command large category for facilities with more than 300 workers. Last year the team beat the perennial award-winning maintenance team from Fort Bragg, N.C.
"What happened last year was Fort Bragg was selected as the runner-up and we were selected as the winner so this year we just kind of swapped positions," Blevins said. "Last year, the gentleman from Fort Bragg told us 'I will get it next year' and he did."
Blevins arrived as the Red Cloud Garrison maintenance chief in November 2009 from Camp Humphreys - one month after the packet written by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Carlos Hill was submitted. That gave him four months to prepare for the on-site assessment by the 12-person panel who visited Korea March 7 to verify the contents of the submission packet.
While a well-written and documented packet is important, Blevins said the key to his combined maintenance team's success begins with his employees.
"They are very innovative," he said about his predominantly Korean work force. "That is from the senior Korean leaders all the way to the lowest ranking employee we have. They take a lot of pride in their work."
One month after Blevins arrived at Red Cloud Garrison, his wife, began teaching English to the Casey and Red Cloud Garrison teams one hour every Friday. He said some employees were resistant at first, but it's caught on, and more important, it's helped to improve communication.
"Some of the older guys didn't really like it to begin with," he said. "Now they love it. If we have to cancel for any reason, they don't like it. They want to know why. It helps communication with the customer and internally within management."
Kim Tae-hun, a supply technician from the Red Cloud team, agrees. "English class time is very important because everybody is in the room and we talk about our problems," he said "It's good for the whole maintenance division."
Still, Blevins said a friendly rivalry exists between his Casey and Red Cloud teams, particularly the clerks. He said the Casey team distinguished itself during the Installation Management Command Korea command inspection in February by receiving a few more commendable accolades. And while the respective teams are competitive and strive to outdo each other, they worked well together preparing for the AAME on-site assessment.
"They love to help their peers," he said. "They don't want to see anyone fail. They want to see everyone in the division shine."
Cho Yong-ku, a Casey maintenance division clerk, agrees and he knows what it will take for the combined Casey and Red Cloud maintenance team to bring another first place award back to Korea next year.
"Katchi kapshida (let's go together). It's good teamwork," he said.
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