JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- A contracting specialist was named the Joint Base San Antonio Army Noncommissioned Officer of the Year for 2012 during a March 8 ceremony in San Antonio.
Staff Sgt. Brandon Carroll, a contracting specialist with the 607th Senior Contingency Contracting Team, 412th Contracting Support Brigade, earned the distinction through a competitive selection process that recognized exceptional performance.
In 2012, Carroll was responsible for managing and executing multiple contract actions in excess of $10 million as part of the 802d Contracting Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
Carroll believes his selection as one of only two Soldiers in San Antonio for the Army Contracting Command NCO of the Year Competition was a major factor in his win. The competition identifies the top NCOs from each contracting support brigade through a series of tasks and events.
He further set himself apart from his peers by volunteering to participate in the Joint Contracting Readiness Training advance party and as a color guard member in support of the Delta Raiders memorial ceremony.
The NCO arrived at Lackland in October 2011 after serving as a cargo specialist at Fort Bragg, N.C. He attended the Mission Ready Airman Course to learn the basics about contracting.
"It's the meat and potatoes of basic contracting, from (Federal Acquisition Regulation) referencing to how to use the PD2 software," he said.
The Procurement Desktop Defense software tracks acquisitions during the contracting lifecycle. His training in PD2 helped prepare Carroll for his follow-on assignment with the 802d CONS.
"It was a pretty smooth transition since I was already here for school," he said. "I appreciated the opportunity to stay at Lackland for the hands-on contracting; it was less of a learning curve."
Carroll also credits his family, leaders who have shaped his career, dedication and Army values as the inspiration behind his service and achievement along with a simple formula he learned from his command sergeant major: PIE -- performance, image, exposure.
Forty-six members competed in six military categories while 19 civilian employees vied for honors in four civilian categories.
"These are the JBSA superstars - together they represent Joint Base San Antonio's most potent weapon system: its people," ceremony officials said.
Senior leaders from across Joint Base San Antonio presented the awards to their respective service winners. Maj. Gen. Adolph McQueen, the U.S. Army North deputy commanding general, and Command Sgt. Maj. Rodney Rhodes, the Mission Installation Contracting Command command sergeant major, presented awards to the Army winners.
Also joining Carroll in support at the annual awards ceremony was Command Sgt. Maj. Jesse Hammond, the 412th CSB command sergeant major.
Each service branch recognized their respective winners in each category. All nominees received a medallion prior to the awards ceremony.
The awards recognition program is designed to foster a spirit of camaraderie and build morale across Joint Base San Antonio, enhance individual efforts to better manage units, develop esprit de corps and recognize outstanding personnel.
The 412th CSB plans and executes contingency contracting support for designated Army Service Component Commands in support of Army and Joint Operations worldwide. It provides pre-deployment operational contract support training to enable warfighters to accomplish their missions. The brigade also trains, mobilizes, deploys, sustains, transforms and reconstitutes contingency contracting forces, providing ready acquisition support and capability.
In 2005, Congress approved the recommendations of the Base Realignment and Closure commission, creating Joint Base San Antonio as one of 12 joint bases throughout the Department of Defense. As a result, installation support activities at Lackland and Randolph Air Force bases, Fort Sam Houston, Camp Bullis and seven smaller locations were consolidated under a single command and JBSA was formally established Oct. 1, 2010. Today, more than 200 units call JBSA home.
Editor's note: Contributing to this article was Wayne Amann of the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
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