ALEXANDRIA, Va. (USTCNS) --- For the third consecutive year, the 839th Transportation Battalion has been named MTMC's top port terminal unit.

The Livorno, Italy, unit - involved in multiple peacekeeping missions to the Balkans - won similar honors in 1999 and 2000.

Meanwhile, the 954th Transportation Co., Cape Canaveral, Fla., was named top company-sized port terminal. This is the first year MTMC has named a company-sized unit for the award.

Commanders of both winning units praised the performance of their members.

"I'm constantly amazed at the degree of professionalism and amount of pride that the military, Army civilians and local nationals routinely exhibit here - regardless of operational tempo," said Lt. Col. Mark A. Westbrook, commander, 839th Transportation Battalion.

The 839th Battalion includes the 953rd Transportation Co., Piraeus, Greece, and the Azores Detachment, Lajes Field, Azores.

"They make everything seem easy."

Maj. Alexander Monteith, commander, of the 18-member 954th Transportation Co., proudly expressed similar words.

"The entire terminal is focused on customer support and satisfaction," said Monteith. "The day-to-day dedication to excellence of our military, Department of the Army civilian and contractor personnel ensures our customers receive first-class support.

"The entire team at Cape Canaveral won this honor."

The 2001 honors for each organization actually reflect performance and metrics exhibited during the previous calendar year.

839th Transportation Battalion

The 839th Transportation Battalion is one of the most deployed battalions in the Army.

Since 1998, the unit has moved 50,000 pieces of cargo, on 1,500 ships, without a single accident or mission failure.

Unit members have deployed to 30 ports, spread across 11 countries and two continents.

In support of peacekeeping missions to the Balkans in the last four years, the unit's transporters have deployed to Rijeka, Croatia, more than a dozen times. Other missions have taken place at Thessaloniki, Greece.

"It's easy to understand why everyone focuses on our large unit moves in support of major contingency missions," said Westbrook. "However, it's important not to lose sight of the fact that we move thousands of sustainment containers."

In one of their more unusual operations, battalion members opened a new entry port to the Balkans in the Black Sea port of Burgas, Bulgaria. Unit members moved more than 1,200 pieces of equipment in support of Kosovo operations.

"Planning and carrying out water terminal operations in various foreign countries is a complex and critical mission," said Westbrook, "especially since warfighters depend on us to deliver and sustain their combat power."

954th Transportation Co.

Among their many achievements in 2000, members of the 954th assisted in cargo operations involving 10 Military Sealift Command vessels at Blount Island, Fla., and the movement of more than 10,000 pieces of equipment and 333,000 measurement tons in support of the Maritime Prepositioned Ships.

The 954th supported military customers in Puerto Rico and on Andros and Antigua Islands, and was responsible for 3,097 truck deliveries at Cape Canaveral.

In addition to its regularly scheduled vessel operations, a 954th delegation visited U.S. Southern Command, in Miami.

"The visit to Southern Command was to open communications in reference to port capabilities and to offer our assistance and terminal service for cargo going via surface versus air," said Ray Martinez, documentation specialist.

Unit members planned, staged and loaded explosives in support of Operation Riverine, a Foreign Military Sales program supporting the Counter Narcotics Mission in Colombia.

"The 954th Transportation Co. volunteered for this mission when requirements of the primary loading port would have placed meeting the required delivery date in jeopardy," said Danilo Robinson, marine cargo specialist.

Reservists also benefited from the company's professionalism. The unit trained members of 10 Army Reserve units on port operations.

"The focus of the 954th is summarized in one word: 'support,' " said Otis Newton, deputy commander.

"Safe practices, unit pride, passionate concern, precise execution, our customers, reliable service and timely response are the values that won the team this coveted award."

(FROM MILITARY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS)