MTMC honors excellence in traffic management

ALEXANDRIA, Va., (USTCNS) --- The unit movement controller responsible for the largest mobilization of soldiers and equipment from Fort Carson, Colo., since World War II was the Army winner of the 2003 Excellence in Traffic Management Award.

Patricia Martinez, unit movement coordinator, Director of Logistics, was presented the award, which is sponsored by the Military Traffic Management Command.

"She executed the lessons learned from all other deployments and applied capabilities and resources from civilian industry to ensure success," said D. J. Schneider, the installation's director of logistics.

The deployment consisted of four active duty brigades and an 80-member Army Reserve unit, said Schneider. Over 18,000 soldiers deployed from Fort Carson to South West Asia in the movements.

"Not one train or aircraft departed late because of avoidable issues," said Schneider, in the award citation. "Fort Carson was Fifth Army's number one mobilization and deployment center."

"It was a surprise," said Martinez, who has worked in transportation for the past 23 years. "It was an honor."

Martinez got a second surprise when the award was represented to her at Fort Carson on Oct. 7, by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who was at the installation for a NATO conference.

The original presentation of the awards was made by Maj. Gen. Ann Dunwoody, MTMC Commanding General, on Sept. 17, at the National Defense Transportation Association forum in Kansas City, Mo.

Martinez praised her staff for the award.

"I have an excellent staff," said Martinez. "I have people who are dedicated and loyal?they take pride in their work. When you have a great staff you can do anything. I couldn't do it without them.

To get the units deployed on schedule for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Martinez's 13-member staff went on split work shifts beginning in mid-January 2003.

"We were working around the clock," said Martinez.

Martinez praised the work of 15-member deployment support teams?mostly from the 1190th Deployment Support Brigade, in New Orleans. Other assistance came from the 307th Quartermaster Battalion, Salt Lake City, Utah, who provided assistance on the rail moves to such ports as Beaumont, Texas; Corpus Christi, Texas; and Jacksonville, Fla.

Other winners included: Janette White, of the U.S. Navy's Personnel Support Activity Europe, Naples, Italy; Master Sgt. Jeffrey Jones, of the Air Force's 90th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.; Tammy Moore, of the Marine Corp Logistics Command, Albany, Ga.; Lavera Lincoln, of the U.S. Coast Guard Integrated Support Command, Alameda, Calif.; Ed Brady, Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa.; and Charles Cobb, of the Army and Air Forces Exchange Service's Dan Daniel Distribution Center, Newport News, Va.