SEMBACH, Germany — Two Installation Management Command Directorate-Europe employees received a surprise after returning from leave over the holidays — an email announcing them as the winners of the IMCOM-Europe Army Professional of the Year award.
Miguel Rosario, a casualty assistance shift lead in human resources, and William Winkle, contracting management support officer for resource management, received the overall annual honors after winning quarterly honors earlier in fiscal year 2020.
“I am very pleased to recognize these two members of our IMCOM-Europe family,” said Tommy Mize, IMCOM-Europe director. “They each contribute so much to their respective areas and in their support of our garrisons across Europe. Our people are truly our greatest resource.”
Rosario, who has been a civilian employee with IMCOM-Europe for about seven years, was first exposed to casualty assistance operations during his 32-year, active duty career in the human resource field. When he retired, he came back on board the Army team as a civilian casualty assistance manager in Heidelberg, Germany, and is now a team lead for the region where he and his team work to support garrison casualty operations.
“I get satisfaction in taking care of and helping people,” Rosario said. “In human resources, that’s what we do. And working with active duty; it’s always a pleasure as I retired active duty, I can continue with the service.”
According to his Army Professional of the Year citation, Rosario was recognized for using his extensive program and operational knowledge to ensure the successful execution of casualty assistance operations, especially during a time when the office was understaffed.
Unlike Rosario, Winkle wasn’t introduced to his civilian career field until after he retired from an active duty Army career that was “all things aviation.” He started his civilian career working as a contracting officer representative for the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies where he said he first started to see the appeal of contract management and the benefits of saving money to reinvest elsewhere. His interest in contract management only grew from there, Winkle said.
“The work is tireless, and it serves a good purpose,” Winkle said, adding that it’s the challenges of navigating contracting that appeals to him. “Contracting is so stringent and sometimes narrow-minded, and you have to really think outside the box, and it challenges you mentally.”
According to his Army Professional of the Year citation, Winkle was specifically recognized for “leading and flawlessly executing the inaugural Acquisition Portfolio Review for IMCOM-Europe.”
Each quarter, employees are recognized in two categories, which are based on grade level, at the IMCOM-Europe and garrison levels to award organizational work and behaviors that support and further the mission, vision, goals and values, and initiatives of the organization. At the end of the year, an annual winner is chosen from the quarterly winners at each level.
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