FORT KNOX, Ky. — The competition couldn’t be more challenging; the standards couldn’t be higher.
Amid all the scrutiny, U.S. Army judges selected one installation to represent them at the 2025 Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence: Fort Knox.
“We’re really the best of the best in the Army,” said Derek Avey, management analyst at Fort Knox-based U.S. Army Recruiting Command. “We’ve been very competitive over the years, but this is the best we’ve ever done.”
About six months prior to joining USAREC, Avey worked for several years at Fort Knox Garrison’s Plans, Analysis & Integration Office. At PAIO, he was responsible for writing a 50-page narrative for the competition each year since 2007.
“Energy and water conservation efforts are always a big highlight here,” said Avey. “We’ve won just about every award there is to win for like the last 25 years.”
This year, however, other areas stood out that got the judges’ attention, said Avey.
“Our quality of life was huge,” said Avey. “Our [Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation] are constantly investing into various areas for quality of life, and they’ve also been award winners, including the national blue ribbon circuit and the National Parks and Recreation Association, where they were gold medal finalists.”
Another award-winning staff agency this year was the public affairs office. Not only had command information won Army-level individual and team awards, said Avey, the community relations team also won.
“The social media outreach numbers were big, in the millions,” said Avey. “This is about keeping senior leaders, employees and customers on post and off informed.”
Other areas included safety, medical and dental activities, civilian wellness programs and emergency services.
“The [military police] are always winning awards, and we highlight that in the document,” said Avey.
He explained that the key criterion for the award relies on verifiable numbers: statistics, cost savings, impact and more. The size of the narrative has been streamlined to save on time and effort which, according to Avey, can in some ways be more challenging.
“These days we’ve got only 10 pages to address 13 criteria points,” said Avey. “On some of these, we could write an entire 10 pages addressing only one criteria point. Then we have no room to address the other 12 areas. So, through the years we’ve learned how to focus the packet to get to the point effectively.”
Avey said the size of an Army post could technically give one an advantage over others, since there are a lot more programs and activities going on at larger installations.
“We are a middle-size post,” said Avey, “so it’s definitely much more challenging to compete against Fort Cavazos or others.”
The Defense Department announced the winners with a May 16 news release. In it, each service branch’s winner is listed to include Space Force as well as the Defense Logistics Agency.
“Installations compete on how well they achieve the Department's objectives in several areas of installation management, including mission support, quality of life and unit morale, real property management, safety, health and security, communications, and public relations,” according to the Defense Department.
The release explained the significance of the annual award.
“Excellent installations enable better mission performance and enhance the working and living conditions for military men and women, DoD civilians, and their families,” according to the release. “Each of the winning installations succeeded at being the best in performing installation management within their military service and the Defense Logistics Agency. Each winning installation will receive a commemorative trophy, flag, and a congratulatory letter from the President.”
Fort Knox Deputy Garrison Commander Jim Bradford said there was a time when installations received a monetary award for being the best. Despite this loss in recent years, Fort Knox will continue to compete.
“Now, we’re competing for pride,” said Bradford. “We’re competing for professionalism, but it still comes at a price.”
He said that price involves the time and energy spent to analyze the criteria and generate well thought-out and quantifiable narratives that fit with what the Defense Department is looking for in installation excellence.
“We choose to compete and put this very exhaustive packet together to recognize our civilian professionals, our incredible partners that make up this team," said Bradford, "and to recognize Fort Knox as a community that supports our national defense."
Fort Knox Garrison Commander Col. Chris Ricci said he has personally witnessed excellence from the team during his time at Fort Knox.
“I’m incredibly proud of our workforce and how we’re able to deliver services to take care of our community,” said Ricci. “We focus a lot here on customer service interaction with our community members, and I see it every day as [Command Sgt. Maj. Alex Licea] and I go around and engage with the workforce in our community just how strong those relationships are.”
Ricci said the off-post partners are just as crucial to the award.
“Central Kentucky’s a special place,” said Ricci. “We’ve got some outstanding partnerships across Hardin County, Meade County and Bullitt County. Without those off-post partners helping to support our Soldiers, civilians and families, none of this would be possible.”
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