Denning of IMCOM’s Readiness Directorate wins Dellamonica Award

By Stephen WarnsOctober 24, 2022

Shane Denning, center, an airfield manager in the Joint Readiness Training Center in the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security at Fort Polk, Louisiana, for the past two years, was IMCOM's representative to win the Army Materiel Command’s 2021 Louis Dellamonica Award for Outstanding Personnel of the Year. AMC Commander Gen. Ed Daly, second from left, presented the award. With Gen. Daly are Command Sgt. Major Albert Delgado, IMCOM Commanding General Lt. Gen. Omar Jones, second from right, and IMCOM Command Sgt. Major CSM Jason Copeland.
Shane Denning, center, an airfield manager in the Joint Readiness Training Center in the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security at Fort Polk, Louisiana, for the past two years, was IMCOM's representative to win the Army Materiel Command’s 2021 Louis Dellamonica Award for Outstanding Personnel of the Year. AMC Commander Gen. Ed Daly, second from left, presented the award. With Gen. Daly are Command Sgt. Major Albert Delgado, IMCOM Commanding General Lt. Gen. Omar Jones, second from right, and IMCOM Command Sgt. Major CSM Jason Copeland. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Christine Mitchell ) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas – Shane Denning of Fort Polk, Louisiana, is the U.S. Army Installation Management Command representative to win the Army Materiel Command’s 2021 Louis Dellamonica Award for Outstanding Personnel of the Year.

Denning, who has served as airfield manager in the Joint Readiness Training Center in the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security for the past two years, was surprised to win the award, which was presented in September and honors outstanding work that contributes to the AMC mission.

“I was 100% surprised at winning the award,” said Denning, who is part of the IMCOM-Readiness directorate. “I had no idea I would win, much less be nominated. To be recognized for making that much of a contribution in that short amount of time is extremely humbling.”

Mark Leslie, JRTC director, nominated Denning for the award based on his leadership qualities.

“Shane understands and knows where to insert himself as a leader and when to let the very smart subject matter exerts do their jobs,” Leslie said. “To me, that’s the essence of mission command.

“He has a clear vision, nested with the Senior and Garrison Commander on how to best support the vital JRTC and Fort Polk mission. He instituted counseling, inventories as well as leader and subordinate accountability as well as a healthy reward and recognition program. Basically, he took this airfield from a performing and contributing member of the team to a new level of performance in regard to customer and employee satisfaction,” Leslie added.

Denning praised the diverse work environment at Fort Polk.

“Ultimately, the recognition at the AMC level is insane, and it could open more professional opportunities for me in the future, but more importantly, it also tells everybody that we have some very solid leadership and managers at Fort Polk.

“There are so many opportunities for professional and personal growth based on the nature and diversity of the JRTC, and how we support IMCOM and the garrison. Winning the Dellamonica Award just highlights that,” Denning added.

Nominees are judged on how their initiatives measurably improve their work environment and AMC’s mission, how they motivate and inspire fellow employees to improve or increase the quality of their own work, and how well they are viewed by peers, subordinates and supervisors.

The award is named in honor of Louis Dellamonica, a general engineer whose 65-year career at Hawthorne Army Depot, Nevada, exemplified integrity, innovation, leadership and outstanding dedication to the AMC mission.

“I want to accentuate the importance and value of this award,” said AMC Commander Gen. Ed Daly, who presided over the awards ceremony at the command’s headquarters in September. “This is a highly prestigious award and the individuals who receive it have demonstrated how important they are to our Army.”

Daly thanked the recipients for “the great work you and your teams have done and continue to do for our Army and our nation. You make AMC what it is today.”

The other Dellamonica Award winners were:

Jonathan Hardage – Headquarters, Army Materiel Command

Todd Cobb – Aviation and Missile Command

Crystal Galloni – Communications-Electronics Command

Corey Hotle – Joint Munitions Command

Clyde Surratt – Tank-automotive and Armaments Command

Brent Depauw – Army Contracting Command

Richard Baughman – Financial Management Command

Milford Sexton – Sustainment Command

William Fischer – Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command

Ehren Whitmore – Security Assistance Command