FORT BLISS, Texas - Capt. Marvin "Mojo" Woods is one of 27 company-grade officers and warrant officers set to receive the 2023 General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award in Washington, D.C., from the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army this fall.
For over 30 years, the General Douglas MacArthur Award recognizes company-grade officers demonstrating the ideals for which General MacArthur stood - duty, honor, and country. The award promotes and sustains effective junior officer leadership in the Army. This year, 13 active duty, seven Army National Guard, and seven Army Reserve and warrant officers selected through a board process for this honor.
The award's namesake, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, led United Nations forces during the Korean War after commanding troops in the Southwest Pacific during World War II. For his actions in combat, the five-star general received two Purple Hearts, seven Silver Stars, five Army Distinguished Service Medals, three Distinguished Service Crosses, and the Medal of Honor.
Like MacArthur, Woods embodies what it means to be a leader dedicated to duty, honor, and country.
Born in Ontario, Canada, in 1992, Woods was like every child of that day, full of life, ambition, and searching for his purpose. Upon moving to Kauai, Hawaii, during his adolescent years, he started his journey to the Army.
In 2009, Woods enlisted in the Hawaii National Guard and served in that capacity until receiving an active-duty commission as an infantry officer in 2014. He served as an assistant operations officer, platoon leader, and executive officer within the 25th Infantry Division and as an operations advisor within the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade. These positions paled compared to the challenges ahead as a company commander within the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team.
Selection for company command is an honor bestowed on several company-grade officers during their service. It is even rarer to see an infantryman selected to command a tank company in a combined arms battalion. As fate would have it, Woods assumed command of the Bravo Company "Berserkers" in May 2021, with the trust of his then battalion commander, Lt. Col. Michael E. Ziegelhofer, commander of the 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, and support of Col. Matthew T. Adamczyk, the 3rd ABCT commander.
"When I took over the Berserker Company, the company's reputation was recovering from back-to-back catastrophes in less than a year," said Woods. "The mindset within the organization was at an all-time low."
In the year before Woods took command, two catastrophic events sent the climate and morale of the company from bad to worse. A tank shot another tank at platoon gunnery making worldwide news, while another tank had a parking brake failure and rolled to the bottom of the Imjin River.
"Morale in the organization was at rock bottom. To work their way to success, noncommissioned officers in the unit took to tougher leadership, often erring in the realm of harsh and tyrannical," said Ziegelhofer.
Woods quickly identified the issues plaguing his command and went to work to fix them by leaning on unit history for what was possible, learning tank maneuvers, and encouraging his team to pursue the highest standards positively.
Ziegelhofer said, “Capt. Woods lives the example of what right looks like."
Woods took a personal interest in Soldiers and their families and made thoughtful decisions regarding their well-being. He fought for opportunities to conduct tough, realistic training. He taught and held high regard for others who took the time to prepare and invest in subordinates. He recognized and rewarded excellence.
In 2022, Woods' company deployed for nine months as a rotational force in Korea. They played a significant role in preserving peace through military strength. He and his team emphasized this strength by maintaining operational readiness rates over 90%, conducting regular rollouts, and qualifying their crews through various gunneries. Their efforts communicated the strength and power of America's Tank Division while bolstering our long-standing partnership with South Korea.
Woods quickly identified the issues plaguing his command and went to work to fix them by leaning on unit history for what was possible, learning tank maneuvers, and encouraging his team to pursue the highest standards positively.
Ziegelhofer said, “Capt. Woods lives the example of what right looks like."
Woods took a personal interest in Soldiers and their families and made thoughtful decisions regarding their well-being. He fought for opportunities to conduct tough, realistic training. He taught and held high regard for others who took the time to prepare and invest in subordinates. He recognized and rewarded excellence.
In 2022, Woods' company deployed for nine months as a rotational force in Korea. They played a significant role in preserving peace through military strength. He and his team emphasized this strength by maintaining operational readiness rates over 90%, conducting regular rollouts, and qualifying their crews through various gunneries. Their efforts communicated the strength and power of America's Tank Division while bolstering our long-standing partnership with South Korea.
For ten months, Woods commanded a tank company beyond the expectation of his leadership.
"He did not shy from the opportunity but attacked. He fought for information, built relationships in and outside his direct sphere of influence, and worked tirelessly to ensure that his lack of knowledge would not negatively impact the formation," said Ziegelhoer. "Within weeks, Capt. Woods' effort and example brought a struggling organization with an unfortunate reputation onto a path of improvement. At ten months in command, the company's reputation completely reversed, and they are recognized as standard bearers in the battalion and brigade."
Returning from Korea, Woods earned recognition from every command echelon within the 1st Armored Division. He received overwhelming support for the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award nomination.
"Capt. Woods' insatiable appetite for improvement, ability to build winning and cohesive teams, and humility make him the ideal candidate to represent this prestigious award," said Adamczyk. "The selection board will not be disappointed with his selection."
Brig. Gen. Michael J. Simmering, deputy commanding general – of operations, 1st Armored Division, felt a similar sentiment at the division headquarters and endorsed Woods' nomination.
"This future senior leader reflects the spirit of this prestigious award in everything he does, and Soldiers will benefit from his exceptional leadership," said Simmering. "Given Woods' clear potential, this award is a fitting recognition for an officer who will continue to serve with distinction for years to come."
Even with the outpouring of recognition from leaders at various echelons and within his own company, Woods does not believe he deserves such an award.
"Surprised, honestly," Woods said as he described how he felt about receiving the award. "I don't believe anything I did was out of the normal. I'm extremely humbled and honored."
For Woods, receiving this award is about being part of a great team.
"This award is not about me. This is about the men and women that I have served with, and I owe them all the gratitude on winning," said Woods. "I'm accepting it on behalf of the Soldiers and leaders of Berserker Company. Ultimately, this is for them, and this award acknowledges their efforts."
While reflecting on his time with the Berserkers, Woods took joy in the chance to say what being a commander meant to him.
"The best part about being a commander in the 1st Armored Division is that we have phenomenal and lethal equipment. We are responsible for the greatest fighting platforms, the Abrams tank and Bradley. We are the Army's most lethal element," he said. "Being a tank company commander and seeing my Soldiers on their chosen platform was the most rewarding thing I could have hoped for. I did this as an infantry officer in a tank company. Seeing my Soldiers in their element, ready to fight, and excited about their craft made all this worth it."
Concerning leadership in general, Woods' advice for fellow company-grade officers and below leans toward teamwork and self-improvement for a better Army.
"Be committed to lifelong learning. I learn something new every day," he said. "I got to learn from Soldiers who have served for less time than me but had a wealth of knowledge... It was super cool."
When asked who he could attribute his success during his command, Woods, without hesitation, stated, "Lt. Col. Mike Ziegelhofer, my former battalion commander and Maj. Josh Beneviat, my Battalion S3, was the one that meant the most to me. The amount of trust and support they gave me, I can't put into words. I still speak to them today and know our relationship will only grow from here."
Though Woods is no longer the commander of the Berserkers, he continues to serve as the Headquarters and Headquarters Company commander for 1-67 AR's sister battalion, the 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment. As his command time within 3rd ABCT nears its end, Woods is excited about the future and looks forward to serving the Army for years.
"What's next for me is to finish my command in January 2024. I would love to broaden and do a cool assignment. Until then, my family and I fully support the 1AD mission and what this organization stands for. Both my leaders and senior leaders made this experience worth it. I plan to continue my career in the infantry, and we will see where it goes from here."
In stellar fashion, Woods parted with heartfelt words.
"Command is defining moment in a maneuver officer's career. At least for me, it has made me who I am today," he said. "I want to thank my family for sticking with me through everything. I'm grateful to the unit that has done the work showcasing warfighting skills and the leadership that has placed faith and trust in me. Thank you."
As he stands among the other award winners later this year, Woods will hold the award high, remembering the family, team, and leaders that helped him forge a heart of iron!
Social Sharing