403rd Army Field Support Brigade units recognized with DA-level awards

CAMP WALKER, South Korea – Two 403rd Army Field Support Brigade subordinate units were recognized for placing in the 2024 Army Award for Maintenance Excellence Competition in a ceremony at Kelly Fitness Center here May 21.

Logistics Readiness Center-Daegu was the winner in the Active Army Tables of Distribution and Allowances Category; and LRC-Okinawa was the runner-up in the Active Army All-Others Category.

The Chief of Staff of the Army Award for Maintenance Excellence was established in 1982 by the Department of the Army to recognize exceptional accomplishments in Maintenance and provide added incentive to the competitive programs of major Army commands. The AAME aligns with the Department of Defense Awards Program and category winners will now be considered for DoD-level recognition.

“What we have today is a group of professionals who aren’t in the Hollywood movies. They’re not in the front, they’re behind the curtain, and they quietly do their jobs without the glamor and the glories of being in the spotlight,” said Col. Henry Brown, commander, 403rd AFSB. “This is a reflection of all the people who put in the effort to make sure the Warfighter is prepared and has all the needed requirements to ‘Fight Tonight.’ Thank you for the outstanding work that you’ve done. It’s an honor and a pleasure to be standing up here as your commander to say that we’ve won the AAME and the runner-up.”

Jeffery Schott, director, LRC-Daegu, accepted the first-place plaque on behalf of the organization.

“For 2024, the Army has declared us as the best maintenance program in the Army for our category, so in essence, we’re number one,” Schott said. “It shows that our processes are tight, that we have great teamwork, and that we have an overall commitment to maintenance excellence.”

Gordon “Buzz” Hackett, deputy to the commander, 403rd AFSB, accepted the runner-up plaque on behalf of LRC-Okinawa. Personnel from LRC-Okinawa were unable to attend the ceremony, however, the event was livestreamed on Facebook Live so they could attend virtually.

“Our Maintenance Team is very customer friendly, and they constantly think outside the box,” said Howard Holley, acting director, LRC-Okinawa. “They always provide A-plus service.”

The guest speaker for the ceremony was Brig. Gen. Roderick Laughman, deputy commanding general-support, Eighth Army. Brig. Gen. Laughman was unable to attend the event in person but appeared via a video recorded specifically for the occasion.

The Chief of Staff, Army Award for Maintenance Excellence Program is conducted each year to recognize Army units and/or activities that have demonstrated excellence in maintenance operations. Each unit is evaluated on their effectiveness ensuring that Soldier competency is maintained. Assessments of each unit in the categories of attitude and effective leadership are rated with a benchmark based on those of past winners, and the tenets of exceptional maintenance processes that were exhibited.

To view and download more photos of the ceremony (and other brigade events), go to the 403rd AFSB Flickr Album Page at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/afsb403d/albums