FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii – The Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg Leadership Sustainment Award was established in 2015 and is awarded by the Army’s deputy chief of staff for logistics to only three personnel annually – a Soldier, a Department of the Army civilian, and a legacy honoree.
The award's namesake, Gregg, was the Army's first active-duty African American officer to reach the rank of lieutenant general. He retired as the Army's DCS for logistics in 1981 after a long, impactful career that included a tour in Vietnam. His legacy will also continue through the Army’s recent installation renaming initiative where Fort Lee, Virginia, was renamed to Fort Gregg-Adams.
This year the Army debuted the legacy honoree category, recognizing someone who previously served as a prominent figure within the logistics community. The other change was that a noncommissioned officer was awarded in the uniformed Army leader category – a first since the award's inception. So why now?
The why was actually a who: Sgt. Maj. Maximo Nunez, the 8th Theater Sustainment Command’s operations sergeant major, according to Col. Michael Woodall, the 8TSC’s director for operations.
“Nunez epitomizes what a multi-functional logistics senior NCO is in today’s Army,” said Woodall. “(He is) a master logistician who understands how to employ the functions and capabilities of the joint logistics enterprise to best support U.S. and coalition warfighters.”
Nunez, a logistician of 18 years, does not view this honor as an individual accomplishment.
"I feel extremely honored and humbled to receive such a prestigious award, especially named for one of the trailblazers and pioneers, not just for the sustainment community, but the Army, in Lieutenant General Arthur J. Gregg," said Nunez. "It is an amazing accomplishment, not just for myself but for the Soldiers, NCOs, Officers, DA civilians, and the 8TSC as a whole for what we do best: providing theater opening, theater distribution, and theater sustainment operations in the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility.”
Though Nunez is quite the humble awardee, his resume illustrates his dogged dedication to the craft and his team. He played a pivotal role in the largest-to-date joint petroleum over-the shore operation in Australia, during Talisman Sabre 23. This operation demonstrated the Army's ability to dynamically employ petroleum equipment from Army prepositioned stocks to an austere environment to demonstrate proof of concept for JPOTS operations.
Nunez also helped spearhead the activation of the Philippines joint theater distribution center, which enables sustainment operations, a critical capability for joint and multinational forces. Nunez's leadership and expertise directly contributed to 8th TSC’s fuel and water division being selected as the U.S. Army's Petroleum Staff Operations of the Year.
Additionally, Nunez was vital in the execution of presidential drawdown directives, distributing over $450 million worth of munitions from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command to U.S. European Command in support of U.S. and allies' operations, activities, and investments, according to Woodall. Finally, Nunez's leadership was instrumental in providing direct and indirect support to the Army force structure and modernization directives of the 11th Airborne Division, the 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force, and the Korean regionally aligned forces.
"More NCOs will follow in winning this award. We have extremely talented noncommissioned officers in the sustainment community – much better NCOs than I am by far – so I know for a fact that more NCOs will win this award"
Despite his resume, Nunez casts the acclaim again to his team and the mission Army logisticians accomplish daily in support of the joint force.
"This award is important because it highlights the outstanding accomplishments in the sustainment community," he said. "Our number one job in the 8th TSC is to provide first-class support to the joint force.”
Woodall, who did not hesitate to nominate Nunez for the award, echoes his sentiment about the individual award revealing a much larger footprint.
“It’s an honor, not only for Sgt. Maj. Nunez, but the entire 8th TSC team to be represented here,” said Woodall. “His winning of this award has made senior leaders across the Army more aware of the challenges we face and the talent we have out here. Hopefully, him winning this award will inspire more NCOs to tell their story and be recognized for the impacts they have on the joint force.”
Nunez hopes the same. He is honored to be the first NCO to receive this coveted award but does not foresee being the last.
“More NCOs will follow in winning this award. We have extremely talented noncommissioned officers in the sustainment community – much better NCOs than I am by far – so I know for a fact that more NCOs will win this award," said Nunez.
Woodall believes Nunez was the best choice for the NCO Corps, stating that, besides his myriad of accomplishments, “He’s obviously an expert in his craft and one of the best sergeants major, regardless of military occupational specialty, that I have ever served with by far.”
“For me, personally, the 8th Theater Sustainment Command won the award. That's just how my mentality works.” said Nunez.
Nunez also recognizes that he has made it to where he is today thanks to his leaders, mentors, Soldiers, friends, and Family. Over his 18 years of service, and most recently within the 8TSC, he has noticed a dedicated focus on educating and building stronger expert enlisted logistics Soldiers, which directly contributed to a better force.
"What you see in today's Army is light-years ahead of the Army when I joined in 2005.”
Providing candid advice, guidance and leadership, Command Sgt. Maj. Brian Morrison, the 8TSC’s most senior NCO, “does a phenomenal job conducting and executing talent management for all enlisted sustainers in the Army across the Indo-Pacific,” said Nunez. “Major General Jered Helwig and CSM Brian Morrison are extremely professional and hands-on leaders who understand the pulse of the organization. By far the best command team I’ve seen since I joined the Army. So, I'm just the end state of all of that. But what I've learned here at 8th TSC has been absolutely invaluable to my career. I'm very honored to serve here with our amazing Soldiers, civilians, NCOs, officers, and our joint partners and allies.”
Nunez is privileged to serve as a legacy to those who came before him and hopes to leave a similar legacy to those who follow behind him.
"What I want to leave behind is for my Soldiers to be better prepared, Soldiers who are ready on day one, and for our future sons and daughters to continue leading our country forward to fight and win our nation's wars if called upon," said Nunez. “But most importantly, mentoring Soldiers so that they are more agile, adaptable, smarter, understand their roles and responsibilities, get promoted, and continue providing for their Families.
“So, that's my legacy, if you want to call it one, is for my Soldiers to continue advancing in their careers. It's all about leaving a better Army. What you see in today's Army is light-years ahead of the Army when I joined in 2005.”
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