MICC Soldier earns MG Aubrey ‘Red’ Newman award

By Daniel P. Elkins, Mission and Installation Contracting Command Public Affairs OfficeJanuary 25, 2022

MICC Soldier earns MG Aubrey ‘Red’ Newman award
Master Sgt. M. Colin McTague, third from left, is presented the Maj. Gen. Aubrey “Red” Newman award for outstanding leadership and dedicated, exemplary service during a ceremony Jan. 21 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The U.S. Army Forces Command-level award was presented by Command Sgt. Maj. Shane Pospisil, left, the I Corps command sergeant major. McTague is an operations NCO with the 902nd Contracting Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (Jan. 25, 2022) -- A Mission and Installation Contracting Command senior NCO from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, earned the Maj. Gen. Aubrey “Red” Newman award Jan. 21 during an awards ceremony.

Master Sgt. M. Colin McTague was presented the U.S. Army Forces Command-level award by Command Sgt. Maj. Shane Pospisil, I Corps command sergeant major, for outstanding leadership and dedicated, exemplary service.

Having served with the 902nd Contracting Battalion since December 2018, McTague said earning the award is a humbling experience.

“We have so many great leaders within our organization, and all of them have helped me to become better. This award is as much a product of their work as it is my own,” he said.

The Maj. Gen. Aubrey “Red” Newman award recognizes Soldiers who demonstrate a commitment to mentoring and developing Soldiers.

“Mentorship has an interesting place within Army regulation, because it is so critical to personal and professional development yet it is defined as a voluntary relationship,” said McTague, who has been a member of the Army Acquisition Corps since 2011. “The need for mentorship in contracting is even more evident due to the incredible amount of material one needs to process. So for a contracting NCO, the mentorship requirement is essentially doubled. The importance of mentorship, to us as Soldiers and contracting professionals, simply cannot be overstated.”

In his nomination endorsement of McTague for the award, Lt. Col. Kevin Shilley, the 902nd CBN commander, cited the senior NCO’s unwavering character, superb leadership and unfaltering commitment to the profession.

“He is a quiet professional whose commitment to the profession is most readily displayed through his work ethic and passion for developing those around him,” Shilley said. “He has fostered strong relationships with both subordinates and peers, and I routinely rely on him for sound counsel as do other officers and civilians within the organization.”

McTague considers his achievements while serving as the battalion operations and contract operations NCO in charge during a deployment in support of the Directorate of Military Assistance for the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve as the single most significant contribution for his recognition.

“There, the contracting effects were in direct support to Iraqi partner forces helping to defeat ISIS. It is motivating to be involved, even tangentially, in an effort like that,” he said.

He was responsible for mentoring and developing incoming contracting personnel that contributed to more than 90% of them passing a contracting officer review board to become warranted contracting officers. Possessing a Level III certification in contracting through the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act, his business advice coupled with his knowledge of contracting doctrine resulted in the obligation of more than $1.2 million for training and equipping Iraqi forces.

Mctague also expanded and oversaw the field ordering officer program that enabled tactical-level commanders to resolve gaps in contract requirements and supply management in the amount of $32 million. Upon redeployment to the 902nd CBN at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, he supervised the award of 16 contract actions valued at more than $3.5 million, and pioneered a mission partner outreach program with tenant special forces units on the installation that mirrored commercial practices and reduced their procurement time by 30% while awarding all contracts on time.

MICC Soldier earns MG Aubrey ‘Red’ Newman award
Master Sgt. M. Colin McTague, fifth from left, was among eight personnel recognized during an awards ceremony Jan. 21 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. McTague is an operations NCO with the 902nd Contracting Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo) VIEW ORIGINAL

McTague was among seven JBLM Soldiers and a civilian recognized during the ceremony last week. The award honors Newman, who served 34 years with the Army, commanding the 34th Infantry Regiment during World War II’s Philippines Campaign. The general is known for his cry of “Follow Me!” during the Battle of Leyte, which served to inspire American infantrymen.

About the MICC:

Headquartered at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the Mission and Installation Contracting Command consists of about 1,300 military and civilian members who are responsible for contracting goods and services in support of Soldiers as well as readying trained contracting units for the operating force and contingency environment when called upon. MICC contracts are vital in feeding more than 200,000 Soldiers every day, providing many daily base operations support services at installations, facilitate training in the preparation of more than 100,000 conventional force members annually, training more than 500,000 students each year, and maintaining more than 14.4 million acres of land and 170,000 structures.