Courtesy Photo | Capt. Daniel Alterman, commander, Charlie Company, 16th Ordnance Battalion, presents...... read more read more
FORT LEE, Va. (April 7, 2016) -- A platoon from Charlie Company, 16th Ordnance Battalion, completed a community service project March 12, sprucing up the Memorial Garden sanctuary located adjacent to Army Community Service on Mahone Avenue. The deed prompted the ACS Survivor Outreach Services coordinator to extend a measure of gratitude to the platoon members for their work.
“The fact Ms. (Angela) Bellamy came over and addressed the company to give personal thanks has resulted in increased camaraderie within the company,” said Capt. Daniel Alterman, Charlie Co. commander.
For its efforts, the platoon also earned a Selfless Service streamer under the new 16th Ord. Bn., Platoon Honors Program, which recognizes high performance, reinforces the Army’s core principles and supports the Soldier transformation process, said Lt. Col. Susan Manion, battalion commander.
“We wanted to use it to instill those Army values in our young Soldiers,” she said. “We are training our future leaders, and we only have them for a very short time here. Most of my MOSs are here only 12 weeks, so we want to use it as a positive approach and create those great ordnance Soldiers for our Army.”
Born out of the best programs and practices at other installations, PHP is a standards based competition that awards platoons streamers based on how well they represent each of the seven Army values (Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, integrity and Personal Courage) as well as how they perform academically and on the Army Physical Fitness Test.
New platoons are automatically awarded streamers for Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Integrity and Personal Courage. Company commanders and first sergeants have the power to adjudicate any loss or re-earning of the streamers.
The Selfless Service streamer, like the one earned by the Charlie Co. platoon is awarded to any completing a volunteer project in support of a community event. The Memorial Garden is dedicated to fallen Soldiers and is offered as a peaceful place for families to reflect on the memories of their loved ones.
Earning recognition for achievement is popular among battalion Soldiers like Pvt. Brandon Wanink of Paw Paw, Mich. He said it motivates Soldiers to better themselves and their team and reinforces competitiveness.
“I think the honors platoon program is fantastic because now you have something to work toward and you are reminded that not everything is given,” he said. “You have to maintain the status you have earned and work for that which you haven’t.”
The APFT streamer, probably one of the most difficult to earn, is awarded to the platoon with the highest average APFT score and 100-percent pass rate. Only one platoon within the battalion can hold this streamer, and it is presented by the battalion commander and command sergeant major.
The academic streamer incentivizes student excellence by requiring platoons to maintain a 95 percent or greater academic average throughout the entire program of instruction.
The final streamer is awarded for honor and is earned by those platoons that have displayed the greatest amount of dedication and professionalism during 12 weeks of training. Only those who have earned the APFT streamer, earned and retained the academic streamer, and earned and retained all other Army Values streamers through week 9 are presented the Honor streamer.
Pfc. Michael Kay of Lancaster, N.H., spoke about the importance of the Army Values as part of the program.
“I think this program encourages Soldiers to live the Army Values,” he said. “You have those who might not know they are lacking, so when they make a mistake and see that streamer pulled off of the phase banner they know where they need to make improvement. It provides a means of accountability for everyone.”
Spc. Sunil Duddi of Castellano, Calif., talked about how it feels to have a streamer taken.
“As soon as the first sergeant removes the streamer, he doesn’t have to say anything,” she said. “Your entire platoon feels bad and the person who made the mistake feels responsible.”
The core of the platoon honors program is based on unit cohesion and teamwork. Platoon guidon streamers are tangible sources of pride for Soldiers. They proudly display unit accomplishments in meeting and exceeding existing standards, provide recognition and rewards for Soldiers and their units who have performed well; and promote teamwork and a healthy dose of unit competition and rivalry.
| Date Taken: | 04.07.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 04.07.2016 11:01 |
| Story ID: | 194674 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 212 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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