FORT SILL, Okla. (Sept. 25, 2014) -- A group of DA civilians who help keep Soldiers in the fight were recognized for excellence with an Army chief of staff award.
The Tank Automotive Command (TACOM) Fort Sill Fleet Management Expansion (FMX) won the 2013 Combined Logistics Excellence Award for superior performance of duty in maintenance excellence resulting in improved combat readiness. It competed Armywide in the medium category.
"It's the employees who made this happen. They are the guys who turn the wrenches day-in and day-out," said Robert Griffin, Fort Sill FMX director. "I take great honor in being here while they pulled it off."
Maj. Gen. John Rossi, Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill commanding general, presented the award and his certificate of appreciation to the 115 TACOM workers Sept. 17, outside the FMX facility at 2420 Babcock Road here.
The FMX mission is to support Training and Doctrine Command Soldiers with equipment repair ensuring all is ready to go so they can train, said Bob Harry, FMX equipment specialist. This equipment ranges from tracked and wheeled vehicles to artillery pieces to trailers to generators and radios -- over 13,000 pieces.
The recognized employees are all civil service and perform field-level maintenance which is just below direct support, said Griffin, who is a retired chief warrant officer maintenance technician. The unit was runner up for the award in 2012.
The areas the TACOM excelled in included mission accomplishment, effective resource managment, innovative logistics management, and Soldier quality of life, according to the award plaque.
Some of the achievements of the TACOM were:
- Maintained an operational readiness rate of 97 percent;
- Improved Operational Readiness Rate by 8 percent across FMX;
- Met TRADOC training requirements 100 percent of the time;
- Improved shop operations with new tools boxes, work benches, computers and special tools;
- Provided 8,562 pieces of equipment to support 35,541 TRADOC students;
- Executed $688,000 in deferred maintenance to achieve standards;
- Reduced shop stock by 137 lines which resulted in a cost savings of $1.4 million;
- Procured new oil dispensing system resulting in a cost avoidance of $57,000;
- Battery charging system produced over $40,000 in cost savings;
- Reduced radar sections shop stock lines to accomadate system upgrades resulting in a cost savings of $613,000; and
- Enrollment of equipment into the low usage program producing a cost savings of over $664,000.
What did it take to win?
"I've got a great bunch of guys who are dedicated and committed to the job," Griffin said. "I always show them how we're doing compared to other installations, so we kind of challenge ourselves."
He noted that many of the employees are retired Soldiers."When they fix something and it goes out the gate, they know that it is safe to operate."
Rossi thanked the gathered employees and told them that competing against everybody in the Army and achieving an award of this magnitude is a big deal.
"You're doing things right," the general said. "What you do everyday is absolutely critical."
Rossi said TACOM is at the pinnacle.
"It's just like the World Series or the Super Bowl. What's the hard thing? Not winning it, but a repeat," he said. "I want to repeat. You want to repeat."
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