The Army’s Chief of Staff recently announced its 2004 Supply Excellence Award winners, with Europe-based units winning nearly half of the active-duty categories.
An additional six units took either runners-up or honorable mention honors.
The Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the Supply Support Activity for the 22nd Area Support Group in Vicenza, Italy, took a first-place award in its category — a supply support activity with small staffing and equipment.
The award is its second first-place award in the past three years, according to the unit’s accountable officer, Chief Warrant Officer Jorge Mercado.
“The philosophy here is if we do the right thing year-round, we’ll only have to make minor adjustments here and there,” Mercado said.
“We try to exceed the performance standards, to go above and beyond … instead of just waiting for an inspection.”
Mercado said that his unit is made up of 14 Italian civilians and four soldiers.
Other winners were:
11th Signal Detachment in Mannheim, Germany.222nd Base Support Battalion in Baumholder, Germany.Company D, 701st Main Support Battalion, in Kitzingen, Germany.Runners-up were the 70th Transportation Company and 95th Military Police Battalion in Mannheim; 26th Quartermaster Supply and Service Company in Hanau, Germany; and the 80th Area Support Group Augmentation in Chievres, Belgium.
In addition, the Southern Europe Task Force Augmentation Unit in Vicenza, an Army Reserve unit, was named a runner-up in its category, and the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 202nd Military Police Group in Mannheim received an honorable mention.
Winners received plaques from Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker during a ceremony in Washington D.C.
Evaluations for next year’s awards program begin next month and runs through March 2005.
