RED RIVER ARMY DEPOT, Texas -- Red River's vigilance to help injured employees has claimed another award for the depot as the recipient of the 2012 Theodore Roosevelt Workers' Compensation and Disability Management Award. The depot also previously won the award in 2007.

Recently, RRAD was also recognized by former Commanding General of the TACOM Life Cycle Management Command, Maj. Gen. Kurt J. Stein, as having the best workers' compensation program within the TACOM community.

The Teddy award, as it is referred to, honors one company and one nonprofit organization for their efforts to reduce the number and cost of injuries to workers, according to the Risk and Insurance Awards website. The award was named in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt, who, in 1908, introduced and promoted the first piece of significant workers' compensation legislation in the United States.

Each quarter RRAD is provided a report from the Department of Labor listing the cost associated with each injured worker. Since 2006, the cost associated with the program has more than stabilized due to over 40 employees taken off the compensation rolls and placed in light duty work.

Since 2011, total costs for the depot's workers' compensation program has decreased by $300,000. The program has a net savings of $40 million since 2006.

In addition to the cost savings, the depot has also not been listed on the Department of Defense Top 40 List for Lost Time Injuries since 2007. Each year the DoD looks across all agencies and compiles a list of those with the highest lost time injury/work day rates. In 2006 Red River ranked number 29 on the list; however, RRAD challenged the workforce to aggressively accept new initiatives for safety. With the new "safety first" mindset for employees, Red River became the first depot within the Army Materiel Command to not appear on the list.

Red River will accept the Teddy Award at the annual Workers' Compensation and Disability Management Conference and Expo in November. The award has been given by Risk and Insurance for 17 years.

RRAD repairs/rebuilds a variety of mission essential combat and tactical vehicles and equipment including the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle as well as the Bradley Fighting Vehicle System.