DAEGU, South Korea -- 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command's 7th Korean Service Corps (Heavy Equipment Transportation) Company won the Department of the Army's Chief of Ordnance "Best of the Best Maintenance Award 2015."
The "Best of the Best" award is given to the unit of the highest score in the Army Award for Maintenance Excellence Program, after earning the Department of the Army's Award for Maintenance Excellence of Fiscal Year 15.
According to the Army Ordnance School webpage, the AAME program is an annual competition at the Army level to assess the maintenance programs of units and acknowledge outstanding accomplishment of maintenance sections. It started in 1982 by the DA and it is divided into three categories from small to large, depending on the number of authorized personnel in a unit. Each unit is evaluated on various aspects such as readiness, efficiency, and adeptness in management tools and is expected to fortify its maintenance skills and effectiveness through this program.
7th KSC Company (Heavy Equipment Transportation) won "All Others" category in the DA level, and then among the 15 winners of different categories of the DA level AAME program, it was selected as the best maintenance unit in the U.S. Army by getting Chief of Ordnance Best of the Best Maintenance Award 2015.
"It's just marvelous that 7th KSC (HET)…became the best of the best maintenance unit of the entire U.S. Army around the world. We are really proud of ourselves for keeping up our safe transportation mission to Area 1 since our company's establishment in 2005," said Mr. Han Sik Ko, Company Commander of 7th KSC Company (HET). "Moreover, we are honored to contribute to the U.S. Army's maintenance in Republic of Korea. I hope this award acts as a stimulant for my team to make our company an even better one."
Mr. Ko elaborated on how his team could seize the chance of getting this award, "My team has maintenance and operation sections which work interactively with each other as though they are one part. Not only is our strength in solid teamwork, but also is in each member's active input and strict work ethic."
One of the KSC Battalion's 17 companies, 7th KSC (HET) Company is an unarmed paramilitary force that was established with 24-HET systems in 2005 to provide 2nd Infantry Division with transportation of heavy equipment including tanks. Despite its demanding schedules for transportation operated after 8 p.m., during 630,000 miles of operation, it has successfully achieved a zero at-fault accident record since the foundation of the company in 2005.
Now 7th KSC (HET) Company aims at defending its throne in the upcoming FY 16 AAME.