1-361st Engineer Battalion earns FORSCOM Supply Excellence Award

Courtesy Photo | Sgt. 1st Class Edward Martinez, supply noncommissioned officer in charge of 1st Battalion, 361st Engineer Regiment, Task Force Redhawk, 5th Armored Brigade, helped earn the Redhawks the U.S. Forces Command Supply Excellence Award. The award based on the unit's Command Supply Discipline Program and Army Regulation 720-2, Inventory Supply Management. This is the second SEA Martinez has been a part of, with his first being awarded while he was stationed in Germany as a sergeant. (Courtesy photo by U.S. Army)  

MCGREGOR RANGE, NM, UNITED STATES

11.05.2013

Courtesy Story

First Army Division West

By 1st Lt. Vanessa Dudley
1st Battalion, 361st Engineer Regiment, 5th Armored Brigade, Division West Public Affairs

McGREGOR RANGE, N.M. – The 1st Battalion, 361st Engineer Regiment, Task Force Redhawk, 5th Armored Brigade was recently awarded the U.S. Forces Command Supply Excellence Award.

The Chief of Staff of the Army Supply Excellence Award (SEA) program was first brought to life in 1984, where the Army was looking to recognize supply excellence at all organizational levels of the Army. Since then, units have competed for the honors of the award each year.

The nomination for the engineer battalion started with an initial inspection from 5th Armored Brigade supply personnel, who deemed TF Redhawk worthy of competing for the award and receiving an inspection from the Fort Lee SEA program inspectors.

The program, which is based out of Fort Lee, Va., seeks nominations from units who have achieved supply excellence. Units are divided up and placed in several different categories based on mission and type. Sgt. 1st Class Edward Martinez, the supply noncommissioned officer in charge for TF Redhawk, had a three-soldier team working to get ready for the FORSCOM inspection.

Martinez, a 20-year Army service member, has only been with the Redhawks for a year. In that time he and his team have managed to take their vast experience and knowledge and apply it to the battalion’s supply system. This year will be the second time one Martinez’s units has won the SEA, with his first being awarded when he was a sergeant with 2nd Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment out of Friedberg, Germany.

“I didn’t expect to win because we are such a unique unit in that we are very small,” said Martinez. “Knowing that we won in a competition that also evaluates much larger units made the award all the more special.”

The inspectors from the SEA program are chosen from an unbiased unit and use a grading rubric based off the Command Supply Discipline Program in Army Regulation 720-2. After inspection, the paperwork and grading rubric is submitted to the SEA program at Fort Lee so a winner can be chosen. Lt. Col. Patrick Hogeboom, TF Redhawk commander, will also be recognized along with Martinez for his contributions to the battalion supply system.

“My focus was to build a team dedicated to improving internal systems while also providing the command with purpose, direction and motivation,” said Hogeboom. “Our CSDP priorities were logical and sound, which I think ultimately led to our battalion receiving this award.”

Martinez, who doesn’t plan on retiring for years to come, hopes he can maintain the high standard that he has now set for his battalion and brigade.

We can’t help but be proud of the work that his team put forth to win the award, Martinez said.

• Date Taken: 11.05.2013
• Date Posted: 11.05.2013 16:14
• Story ID: 116328
• Location: MCGREGOR RANGE, NM, US