Team Signal-Cyber Pacific Recognized for Maintenance Excellence

By Capt. Liana Kim, 311th, Signal Command (Theater) Public AffairsAugust 28, 2020

Yukio Ono-san, a Network Technician of the USANEC – Camp Zama installs fiber cable outside plant LN, in support of the 311th Military Intelligence Battalion, January,  2020.
1 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Yukio Ono-san, a Network Technician of the USANEC – Camp Zama installs fiber cable outside plant LN, in support of the 311th Military Intelligence Battalion, January, 2020. (Photo Credit: Capt. Liana Kim) VIEW ORIGINAL
Network Support personnel of the USANEC – Camp Zama team install network devices at Hardy Barracks in Tokyo, Japan, in January of 2020.
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Masafumi Nakajima-san, a Network Technician of the USANEC – Camp Zama installs fiber cable outside plant LN, in support of The 311th Military Intelligence Battalion, in January of 2020.
3 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Masafumi Nakajima-san, a Network Technician of the USANEC – Camp Zama installs fiber cable outside plant LN, in support of The 311th Military Intelligence Battalion, in January of 2020. (Photo Credit: Capt. Liana Kim) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers assigned to the USANEC – Camp Zama conduct PMCS on their assigned weapon in December of 2019.
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Sgt. Marcus Bahadur, USANEC-CZ Maintenance NCO, oversees annual weapon services performed by personnel of the Logistics Readiness Center for the 78th Signal Battalion on Honshu, Japan, in March of 2020.
5 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. Marcus Bahadur, USANEC-CZ Maintenance NCO, oversees annual weapon services performed by personnel of the Logistics Readiness Center for the 78th Signal Battalion on Honshu, Japan, in March of 2020. (Photo Credit: Capt. Liana Kim) VIEW ORIGINAL
Staff Sgt. Felix Prescott uses the Protective Assessment Test System to ensure his field protective mask functions properly, in December of 2019.
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Network Support personnel of the USANEC – Camp Zama team install network devices at Hardy Barracks in Tokyo, Japan, in January of 2020.
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Network Support personnel of the USANEC – Camp Zama team install network devices at Hardy Barracks in Tokyo, Japan, in January of 2020.
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Network Support personnel of the USANEC – Camp Zama team install network devices at Hardy Barracks in Tokyo, Japan, in January of 2020.
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CAMP ZAMA, Japan – Soldiers of the 78th Signal Battalion, USANEC-Camp Zama, Japan, were recently selected as the Network Enterprise Technology Command’s recipients of the Army Award for Maintenance Excellence in the Table of Distribution Allowances category for Fiscal Year 2020.

“A lot of hard work and dedication went into earning this prestigious and rare honor,” said Mr. Demy Malano, 516th Signal Brigade S4 Maintenance Manager who evaluated units’ maintenance processes and procedures to help them improve and prepare for inspections, and conducted virtual assessments instead of on-site staff assistance due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The USANEC-CZ is one of three company-sized elements assigned to the 78th Signal Battalion, headquartered at Camp Zama Japan and operates in various locations on Japan’s Honshu peninsula.

Additionally this year, the 307th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, also assigned to the 516th Signal Brigade, was selected as the NETCOM runner-up in the Large MTOE category.

"Competing in the AAME has been one of the most rewarding things I have done so far in the Army,” said 1st Lt. Cody Nash, Executive Officer and Maintenance Officer, USANEC-CZ, 78th Signal Battalion. “From refining and submitting our packet, to improving our maintenance program over a whole year from the last inspection, we have put so much work into creating an effective, competitive program.”

This strategic Network Enterprise Center provides Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Information Management, or “C4IM,” services for all U.S. Army Japan forces and 39 tenant units dispersed across 10 installations and 48,000 square miles on the Honshu peninsula.

“The competition has really helped me grow as a maintainer, and as a leader,” Nash said. “Every year I learn more about maintenance that I can implement into our program, and the AAME is a great opportunity to lead my team in reviewing our entire program to make sure it's squared away."

The AAME recognizes outstanding accomplishments and initiatives in field-level maintenance, improving and sustaining unit maintenance readiness, assessing the status of total unit maintenance readiness, improving efficiency, and reducing waste.

“To achieve excellence, all personnel of the unit’s maintenance program were in rhythm,” Malano said. “From the Battalion Maintenance NCOIC Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Bonnstetter’s expertise and the USANEC-CZ Maintenance Officer 1LT Cody Nash’s leadership, to the unit’s Global Combat Support System-Army Equipment Records Parts Specialist and Maintenance NCO, Sgt. Marcus Bahadur, and the hardworking Safety and Environmental Compliance, NBC and Armor NCOs, all have important roles in maintaining a robust program.”

The USANEC-CZ team competes and works to improve every year, and has won NETCOM awards for three consecutive years. In addition, the larger USANEC team been recognized several times at the Department of the Army level. In Fiscal Year 2018, USANEC was selected runner-up in the Department of Army Award for Maintenance Excellence competition.

“Winning at NETCOM for the third year in a row was very exciting, and showed us that our hard work was noticed,” Nash said. “Our success is undeniably due to Sgt. Marcus Bahadur's aptitude for maintenance management, and his ability to manage his team. He is an outstanding NCO and maintainer."

“Our Soldiers of the USANEC-CZ have been providing exceptionally high quality maintenance work,” Malano said. “Winning the AAME validates their processes, their work ethic, and the sense of pride and winning attitude of all our Soldiers, Department of the Army Civilians and Local Nationals.”