Security enterprise honors members of its team

Photo By Daniel Barrios | The Security Assistance Command announced during a Jan. 22 awards and recognition ceremony its selections for Fiscal Year 2017 Supervisor and Employee of the Year.  

REDSTONE ARSENAL , ALABAMA, UNITED STATES

05.02.2018

Story by Adriane Elliot 

U.S. Army Security Assistance Command

By ADRIANE ELLIOT
Security Assistance Command Public Affairs
The Security Assistance Command announced during a Jan. 22 awards and recognition ceremony its selections for Fiscal Year 2017 Supervisor and Employee of the Year.
Leslie Davis, division chief in the command’s SOUTHCOM/NORTHCOM Directorate, was named Supervisor of the Year; and Bill Kaundart, a country program manager in USASAC’s AFRICOM Directorate, was named Employee of the Year.
Davis manages a workforce of seven CPMs covering 27 countries, providing technical advice and assistance and serving as the technical authority for total package fielding of equipment, training and other services for her directorate’s foreign military sales programs.
Overseeing a portfolio of 392 cases with a total value of $4.5 billion and an undelivered value of nearly $1 billion, Davis has an extensive knowledge of the FMS process and is frequently sought out for advice and guidance by CPMs from other directorates, her supervisor and PACOM/SOUTHCOM Deputy Director Kevin Richardson said.
Richardson said she has been instrumental in resolving high-profile issues with partner nations and she “excels in the ability to teach and mentor her junior employees. Ms. Davis is a tenacious advocate for her people and … she inspires all of those in her directorate to do their best.”
Richardson noted that in one high-profile case, Davis was able to “resolve a long-standing mission shortfall that had resulted in loss of life for Soldiers engaged in combat.”
In addition to her exemplary performance at USASAC, she is a Girl Scout leader for her daughter’s troop and volunteers at her three children’s school. When time allows, Davis also enjoys hunting with her husband.
Regarding her selection as the Supervisor of the Year, Davis said she was taken by “complete and utter surprise.”
“There is no greater accolade than this award, but this commendation is truly a reflection of my team and I’m just grateful to accept it on their behalf,” she said. “I am only as successful as the folks standing beside me in the trenches. We believe in what we do, we are committed to the success of our allies and partner nations, and we give 100 percent every single day. I hope they see our hard work is appreciated and that their commitment and determination makes a difference.”
As for Kaundart, who was named Employee of the Year, commitment and determination was also the driving factor for his selection. As a CPM for AFRICOM’s FMS program, which includes 53 countries, he is responsible for the lifecycle management of programs and coordination of FMS activities with USASAC New Cumberland and the Life Cycle Management Commands.
During 2017, his efforts resulted in the management of 138 cases with a total value of $257 million. According to his supervisor and AFRICOM Division Chief Scott Huther, Kaundart “set the standard for timeliness and accuracy in letter of offer and acceptance preparation exceeding 90 percent timeliness with no errors attributed to him.” These cases are particularly critical for AFRICOM “as many of these countries are fighting along U.S. service men and women in combating counterterrorism activities,” Huther said.
Huther said he also helped identify more than $7.6 million in funding from open FMS cases that will now be utilized to purchase additional equipment and training.
Kaundart volunteers on and off post and serves as a trustee, Sunday School teacher, commander of a Royal Rangers Outpost in his church and is the Tennessee Valley sectional commander which includes all of Northern Alabama. He has assisted in running several Royal Rangers ministry camps for youth for Alabama and recently received the state’s Outstanding Service Award and the Alabama Medal of Excellence. He teaches basic and essential leadership courses across Alabama to adults who would like to become Royal Rangers commanders. In addition to providing fundraising support for hurricane victims and youth scholarships, he has assisted in multiple community outreach and works with the Alabama Congressional Office to recognize WWII, Korean and Vietnam veterans from the Tennessee Valley area.
While Kaundart is an “outstanding CPM who has done exceptional work supporting AFRICOM and has greatly enhanced the reputation of USASAC,” Huther said, “his contributions in the local community are equally impressive and, combined, clearly indicate that he is deserving to be selected as the USASAC Employee of the Year.”
“It is very humbling to be nominated and even more so having been selected, considering all the dedicated and talented folks in USASAC,” Kaundart said. “It is a total team effort, both here in the AFRICOM Regional Operations and in my off-post activities. Here and off-post I am surrounded by folks who do not hesitate to assist wherever they can and genuinely care about the mission and people.”

• Date Taken: 05.02.2018
• Date Posted: 05.02.2018 09:17
• Story ID: 275359
• Location: REDSTONE ARSENAL , ALABAMA, US