Army selects 3rd BCT, DOL as the top large unit deployer for 2011

By Vanessa Lynch, U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii Public AffairsJune 13, 2011

Army selects 3rd BCT, DOL as the top large unit deployer for 2011
USAG-HI’s DOL Trans. Div. played a critical role in assisting 3rd BCT, 25th ID, in meeting its deployment goals, while establishing the group’s standards at a step above the competition. Gathered for a keepsake photo, pictured from left to right, are... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, took home top honors, as the Army’s Large Deploying Unit at the 2011 Deployment Excellence Awards, or DEA, recently.

The objectives of the DEA program are to recognize units and installations for outstanding deployment accomplishments that meet or exceed established deployment standards, and to capture and share innovative deployment initiatives that have improved the deployment process.

“Being recognized is an honor in itself,” said James Jefferson, chief and installation transportation officer, Trans. Div., Directorate of Logistics, U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii. “Winning this sets us apart from every other deploying unit, and it means we did the right things the right way.”

The 26 DEA awards were presented at the 7th Annual Chief of Staff Combined Logistics Excellence Award Ceremony/Banquet, May 12, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, Richmond, Va.

“We have set the bar high for ourselves,” Jefferson said, adding that the award is a first for Hawaii, although DOL has been a runner-up many times before. “Now we can only get better and improve from here on out.”

The 2011 DEA Board, consisting of 10 members representing the Army’s Command structure, convened February 7-18, at Fort Lee, Va. It followed a numerical scoring system and selected two semifinalists in each Army component category, including Large Deploying Unit, Small Deploying Unit, Supporting Unit and Installation, both continental and overseas.

DEA validation teams visited the semifinalist nominations at their unit/installation location during the month of March. Winners were determined by combining the DEA board and validation team numerical scores.

Operational Deployment category winners and runners-up, both large and small, were determined by only the observation teams scores.

(Editor’s Note: Jeffrey Schott, director, DOL, contributed to the content of this article. Content was also taken from the Div. Trans. Officer and Mobility Officer April-June 2011 Newsletter.)