ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. – Michael Hutchison, deputy to the commanding general, U.S. Army Sustainment Command, was honored with a Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executive at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., Dec. 13.
By law, not more than five percent of federal government executives and distinguished professionals receive the Meritorious Executive award each year, according to the Office of Personnel Management website. Only 1.2 percent received the award in 2018.
“I’m grateful for the people at ASC who nominated me for this award,” Hutchison said. “It’s ultimately the people at ASC – who work hard every day to support of the warfighter – who made this possible.”
The Presidential Rank Award was established in 1979, a year after the senior executive service was established. In 2018, only 131 awardees were announced.
Hutchison was selected for the award in part because of his efforts to integrate contracting professionals from the U.S. Army Contracting Command into ASC's structure, according to the nomination documents. This included advocating for the integration of several ACC Contracting Support Brigades into ASC operations alongside ASC's seven Army Field Support Brigades.
This integration also included incorporating many of ACC's processes into ASC's operations, an initiative that touched many of ASC's programs and resulted in significant cost avoidances.
“We were able to take the money we saved and put it towards other efforts that increased the materiel readiness of the Army,” Hutchison said. “I’m very proud of our team as we find ways to maximize our resources.”
ASC has an annual budget of $3 billion and a presence in more than 20 countries and 32 states. ASC workforce totals more than 43,000, mostly composed of contractors.
Other achievements included in the nomination package were:
- Hutchison oversaw efforts to streamline contracting across the Army, eliminating redundant contracts and reducing administrative costs.
- He worked to expand the capabilities of the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) while also finding $22 million in cost avoidances.
- He oversaw the Enhanced Army Global Logistics Enterprise (EAGLE) team, which was able to generate $50.4 million of cost avoidances in 2017.
- He worked to partner ASC with the Defense Logistics Agency to repair, renovate and construct more than 30 fuel sites across the Army’s footprint.
- He led the development of guidance and oversight to significantly reduce excess and obsolete equipment owned by the Army, thereby reducing the cost of storage and maintenance.
- He helped to lead the expansion of Army Prepositioned Stocks in Europe.
- He led efforts to revitalize ASC’s workforce through his support of mentoring programs, leadership training, and other career development opportunities. Under his leadership, more than 100 interns were hired by the command.
To view the other Army recipients of the award, visit www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/presidential-rank-awards/2018/department-of-the-army/
ASC is the point of the spear for logistics within the U.S. Army Materiel Command, which is the senior logistics command in the Army. ASC's mission it to deliver AMC's capabilities - including material equipment, services and contractor oversight - to the warfighter in the field and at home base.