Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Drushal, commander of the Security Assistance Command, recognized Michael “Kyle” Crawford as the Employee of the Quarter for the second quarter of fiscal year 2019 at a town hall July 22.
Tracy Engler, Crawford’s supervisor and nominator at the time, said at the time of the nomination, Crawford was the country program manager for Indo-Pacific Command, Southern Command and Northern Command regions and managed foreign military sales cases for 10 countries that are valued at over $2.4 billion.
Crawford has since moved on to support a key partner nation in the INDOPACOM region.
According to Crawford, being a CPM is about relationships.
“It’s about taking the time to get to know someone and understand how you can best support the need,” Crawford said. “If you take the time to get to know someone, to understand their role in the organization, it will foster good communication which leads to a productive relationship. While it may seem obvious, I have found that these two elements, supplemented by a willingness to work and learn, resolve virtually all issues.”
Engler said Crawford excels as his job but that is not the only reason why he was nominated. On multiple occasions, Crawford has taken it upon himself to ensure that FMS cases outside of his 10 countries were prepared and corrected on short notice so that they could pass official review during unexpected or long-term absences of other CPMs.
“Mr. Crawford sees challenges as opportunities and routinely goes beyond to solve problems and serve the customer,” Engler said. “He is a leader amongst the other CPMs and takes initiative on many tasks to benefit the command and FMS customer. His teamwork, strong work ethic and kindness towards all is a morale booster in the command.”
Crawford has also proven to be a very flexible employee. He finds opportunity for improvement within the organization and is happy to provide his expertise. During the quarter, he took it upon himself to analyze raw data regarding funds for Above Standard Level Service cases and consolidated the information into an executive level report that is being presented to regional directors. Additionally, Crawford provided detailed input to the USASAC G8 on current policies regarding legacy FMS cases. His input was included in the updated policy published during the second quarter.
Crawford’s professionalism and dedication has drawn praise from multiple organizations and international partners. During this quarter, Crawford was recognized by Lt. Gen. Charles Hooper, director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, with a three-star note for his detailed work on an important aircraft program.
“USASAC leadership frequently receives verbal praise from FMS partners who know how fortunate they are to have Mr. Crawford working their programs,” Engler said. “At LAAD (Latin American Aero & Defense), Mr. Crawford received praise from two, two-star Brazilian general officers. His reputation and passion to support our partners is unmatched.”
Crawford’s commitment to making a positive difference doesn’t end when he leaves the office for the day. He has been actively involved with Southeastern Diabetes Education Services for 17 years, including the last three years on its board of directors. One of his main projects is planning a yearly, weeklong summer camp in Huntsville for children who live with diabetes. Crawford works diligently to make sure the organization accomplishes its mission – to educate, encourage and empower children with diabetes and their families to live well.
Crawford said his work with SDES is personal.
“I have lived with Type 1 diabetes for 22 years and was originally involved with Camp Seale Harris (program executed by SDES) shortly after my diagnosis at age 9,” he said. “I have been associated with CSH/SDES since that time to ensure that the kids we serve have an opportunity to be surrounded by others going through the same types of challenges. Type 1 diabetes can be isolating, especially for children, and parents of those children. It’s a powerful thing to have a network of people with whom you can share, teach and learn from.”