Staff Sgt. Charles Worley, nominee for the Sturgis Award, and a squad leader for 643rd Horizontal Engineer Company, 84th Engineer Battalion, briefs Maj. Gen. Stephen Lyons, commanding general for the 8th Theater Sustainment Command, on the Polaris Po...
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - The 84th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, selected four of its Soldiers to compete for various regimental awards with in the Army engineer community.
1st Lt. Shane Wright, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edgar Espiritu, Staff Sgt. Charles Worley and Spc. Austin Gonzalez was nominated for the Grizzly Award, the Warrant Officer Award, the Sturgis Award, and the Van Autreve Award, respectively.
Each Soldier underwent a rigorous selection process, competing against many other Soldiers throughout the 8th Theater Sustainment Command.
"To me, it was a great honor to be nominated for this award, but the recognition should really go to my platoon," Wright, a platoon leader in 561st Horizontal Engineer Company, said. "Without their hard work and dedication to the mission, we would never be as successful. I've learned a lot from them, and that has helped me grow and become a better leader each and every day."
Wright has increased his platoon's operational readiness by 23 percent, received 100 percent on all his inspections, and increased his Mission Essential Task List capabilities by 20 percent. He also participated in the Best Sapper Competition and then deployed to the Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii only 48 hours later. All of this is the reason he was nominated for the Grizzly Award.
Espiritu, a construction engineer technician, said that it was a privilege and honor to be nominated for the Warrant Officer Award. He served as the backbone of construction execution for more than $3.7 million worth of troop construction and has extended his influence to Soldiers of both the U.S. and host nations. He has served in combat deployments in Kuwait, a Civic Action Team in Micronesia, and six Theater Security Cooperation Program exercises throughout USARPAC.
Worley, nominee for the Sturgis Award, is currently a squad leader for 643rd Horizontal Engineer Company. In just six years from enlisting in the Army, Worley has been in charge of numerous construction projects located in Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii. He coached his platoon at an M-16 range which resulted in 100 percent qualification, and earned consecutive perfect scores on the Army physical fitness test.
Gonzales, who is nominated for the Van Autreve award, has won the battalion Soldier of the month, Battalion Soldier of the quarter, and Brigade Soldier of the quarter in just two years of service.
"I would like to thank my chain of command for the opportunities they have given me, as well as my peers that helped push myself," said Gonzales. "It's an honor to have represented the 84th Eng. Bn. for this award. I plan on using my experience from this to share not only to my Soldiers, but my peers and continue to expand and learn from everything and everyone."
The 84th Engineer Battalion hopes to continue their streak by producing quality Soldiers and leaders who constantly spread their knowledge throughout the unit.
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