Juan M. Ortega was named 401st Army Field Support Brigade Materiel Enterpriser of the Month for June by Col. Richard B. O’Connor II, brigade commander recently.
Ortega arrived in Bagram on February 17 from his home station at Fort Bliss, Texas and took over duties as the TACOM Senior Systems Technical Representative to the AFSBn-Bagram, 401st AFSB supporting the TACOM Logistics Assistance Program mission in Afghanistan where he directs and manages 17 personnel in seven Forward Operating Bases across the Combined Joined Task Force (CJTF). He supports over 15,000 thousand items of TACOM managed equipment and maintains better than 90 percent readiness on intensively managed items.
“Mr. Ortega was called at the last minute for this current deployment with only a five- month break since his last year-long deployment to Iraq,” said Gustavo Caruso, TACOM SCR. “Juan is on his 20th deployment and is always willing and ready to support the command for deployments worldwide.
“This is the best program ever,” Ortega said of his job. “It’s challenging, satisfying and a good feeling to help Soldiers.”
Ortega said the biggest reward is helping Soldiers get the equipment they need in spite of challenges such as he faced in a 1993 deployment to Somalia where they had to get equipment ready but there was no infrastructure in place. He also recalled cutting 55-gallon drums in half lengthwise and using tires for toilet seats for makeshift latrines and improvising field showers.
“Mr. Ortega’s expertise, foresight and tenacious dedication in every instance were paramount to the extremely successful equipping activities provided to the War - Fighter tremendously impacting Operation Enduring Freedom’s Mission,” Caruso said in a written statement. “His expertise was influential in maintaining excellent equipment readiness rates and his actions are aligned with the highest traditions of the government service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 401st Army Field Support Brigade, the United States Army Materiel Command and the United States Army.”
In addition to visiting more than 125 company-size units training 801 Soldiers and providing 1,077 hours of troubleshooting training, Ortega vigorously supports the LAP cost savings/avoidance program with the TACOM LAP program under his supervision realizing $3,451,945.12 in savings during his deployment.
“Throughout his tenure he received great accolades for his outstanding leading from the front attitude to resolve TACOM sustainment issues,” Caruso said. “His insistent leadership style paid great dividends in ensuring the theater’s operational momentum never faulted in meeting combat mission requirements.”
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