Mr. Muzzelo accepted the Calendar Year 2015 award on behalf of CECOM winner and recipient Carrie A Patches, who could not attend. Ms. Patches is recognized for her exceptional support and uncompromising diligence while supporting all programs in AFRI...
Under Secretary of the Army and Chief Management Officer (CMO) Mr. Patrick J. Murphy (left), and Deputy to the Commanding General U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM), Mr. Larry Muzzelo, pose for the camera during the John W. Macy Jr....
ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can." While history may attribute these words to Anglican clergyman and evangelist John Wesley, they currently reflect the sentiments of recent recipient of the John W. Macy, Jr. award, Carrie A. Patches, Supervisory Logistics Management Specialist, Chief, CECOM Security Assistance Management Directorate (SAMD), AFRICOM/Canada/EUCOM (ACE) Division, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.
A presentation of the CY2015 award was held June 23, in a ceremony at the Pentagon. On maternity leave with her second daughter, Patches was unable to attend and was represented by Larry Muzzelo, Deputy to the Commanding General U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM).
The award, according to U.S. Army Human Resources officials, recognizes demonstrated excellence in the leadership of civilians by an Army military or civilian supervisor. They said it also exemplifies the highest traditions established by Mr. Macy during his long and distinguished career of public service and the Army's philosophy that leaders are responsible for civilian personnel management
The road to this prestigious recognition is anything but a cakewalk. Patches explained that individuals under consideration for the Macy award are nominated by their supervisors based on a specific contribution for which the team led by the nominee is responsible, and which resulted in material improvements in areas such as Army mission support, military-civilian teamwork, customer service, productivity, Equal Opportunity Office accomplishments, and/or enhancement of the Army's reputation as an employer.
Additional criteria for award eligibility required that the contribution must have culminated during the calendar year ending on Dec. 31 of the nominating year. Identifiable, sustained accomplishments are the key required elements. This, according to human resources officials, involves a record of accomplishments which reflect the extraordinary leadership of civilian personnel over a sustained period of time of more than the calendar year of the specific contribution.
Shouldering a record of accomplishments that is quite impressive, it is easy to see just how Patches came to be nominated. She led a team who managed a workload that encompassed approximately 169 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases consisting of 697 lines for a total estimated value of $2.4 million. Several high priority efforts the team worked included: resolution of Failed Item Analysis Reports (FIARs) for Night Vision Devices (NVD) so shipment of the devices to all FMS customers could resume (this impacts multiple countries and multiple cases in multiple Combatant Commands (COCOMs)) and delivery of NVDs, Radars, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and radios including emergency case writing, implementation, contract award and delivery.
Patches' team completed the case writing and execution of two urgent cases for an ally in support of an ongoing crisis. One case provided Man-pack Radio Systems, Vehicular Systems, Base Station systems, Handheld Radio Systems and accessories in just more than 1 1/2 years, a process that normally takes three to five years to complete. Another case provided NVDs and Thermal Imagers, support equipment, spares, training, and logistical support in just greater than one year, a process that normally takes two to three years to complete. All of these efforts required extensive coordination with Program Executive Offices, Program Management Offices, and vendors.
Expressing her surprise and appreciation for the award, the logistics management specialist said, "Besides my girls, this is my greatest personal achievement. I believe if you take care of the workforce, they will take care of the work mission. My team accomplished many wonderful things in CY 2015. Being recognized for leading the team and their efforts is a testament to the work they did. I won this award for the entire Army and it was presented by the Under Secretary of the Army. Receiving acknowledgement at that level for the efforts we performed is invaluable."
Clearly no stranger to hard work and commitment, and with 16 years of civil service to her credit, Patches shows no sign of slowing down. When asked how important dedication and commitment to service is to her, she said, "It's extremely important. In SAMD, we manage the execution of the CECOM LCMC Security Assistance programs by providing superior technology and life-cycle management to our International Partners; by supporting our U.S. partners by assuring a more responsive, agile, and interoperable military force during coalition operations, providing the technical expertise required to develop C4ISR architectural solutions to meet unique international customer demands while maintaining national security interests; and by providing total program management, from acquisition to sustainment, to best meet customer requirements. The work we do for our military services -- and in the case of my organization our foreign allies, is the greatest and most rewarding work someone could do."
With a workload that is ever so demanding, it's not difficult to see how it would take the energy and drive, and the support of every member of the team. That collective effort is what inspires and motivates Patches. "SAMD is a very small organization. The output produced by the workforce is beyond anything I have witnessed in my career. They do so much with so little. We have a workforce where each person manages multiple cases from cradle to grave. Our sister commands have teams of people who work a single case and may only have to focus on a single stage for that single case. In spite of these huge workloads, their performance metrics are exceptional and they always maintain the utmost professionalism, never wavering under pressure. The workforce is truly remarkable," she said.
Humbled by the nomination, and receipt of the John W. Macy, Jr. award, Patches paused to not only express her appreciation, but to share words of inspiration to other employees seeking to be more and do more.
"Since this award recognizes demonstrated excellence in the leadership of civilians and the accomplishment of the mission through the civilian workforce, I will speak to fellow managers responsible for leading employees," Patches said. "The most important rule when leading people is to take care of the people. If you take care of the people, they will take care of the mission. Learn the strengths and weaknesses of each of your people and play to the strengths and help them improve their weaknesses. This will instill trust and loyalty with your workforce members."
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