MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- Staff Sgt. Gabriel Martinez, a basic distribution management instructor at Marine Corps Combat Service Support School on Camp Johnson and Alfred Ferrell, phase manager and lead civilian of the Maintenance Instruction Section, on Camp Johnson, will be named Marine and civilian Logisticians of the Year at an award ceremony scheduled for August 17.
The award criteria requires that the Marine and civilian provide the most outstanding contribution in the logistics field by developing or advancing concepts, doctrine, technology; procedures that contribute toward the logistics transformation required for the 21st century and responsiveness in meeting operational and or strategic challenges, according to Marine Corps order 1650.45A.
These criteria categories may also include improving logistic response time, ownership cost reduction, innovative planning and execution, also according to the order.
Martinez received the Marine Corps enlisted logistician award due to his role in the development of the first forward, deployed Marine Air Ground Task Force Distribution Center in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The MDF is a support cell within the Marine Expeditionary Force and its function is the distribution of critical parts and equipment cargo from a garrison-based warehouse to forward positioned Marines, said Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Douglas, officer in charge of the Basic Distribution Management Course at Camp Johnson.
“Anything I can do to help the trigger pullers to receive their gear and equipment as soon as possible and support their mission is my goal,” said Martinez.
Also included in the nomination was Martinez’s role in the introduction of the Automated Manifest System-Tactical to the MDC, the AMS-TAC is a system that allows the rapid leverage of Army and Air Force transportation assets as well as ensuring the correct routing of shipments by joint commands, said Douglas.
Moving to the supply school on Camp Johnson, Martinez was one of three Marines responsible for the relocation of the Distribution Management academic program from Fort Eustis, VA to Camp Johnson. In three months, Martinez played a role in rebuilding the program including a near-complete rewrite of the entry-level curriculum, obtaining new hardware and preparing the classrooms for the incoming student Marines, added Douglas.
“He took his experiences he learned in Iraq and brought it back here to the students to make them successful in combat situations,” said Douglas.
Alfred Ferrell, retired master sergeant, received the Marine Corps Civilian Logistician of the Year Award for the upgrade of the training system for the seven-ton MK23, the Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement and the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, according to his nomination.
Recognized for his current leadership Ferrell helped in the design of educational plans for the Vehicle Automated Diagnostic System, which is a box that analyzes problems with vehicles electronically to allow for expedited repair by field mechanics, according to his nomination.
Ferrell’s time serving as the senior civilian representative for the Marine Corps Combat Service Support School allowed him to help in the planning and upgrade of the MTVR Maintenance Training System for the motor transport mechanic course.
This project created electronic and paperless classrooms, internet-based training manuals, instructor-led and self paced courseware, allowing a students to complete training on a virtual truck before moving on to an actual vehicle to reinforce and practice skills, according to his nomination.
“Sometime in ones life, one has to give back what is given and one way to give back is to educate others,” said Ferrell.
The Intelligence and Logistics Awards Board in Washington, DC preformed selection for the awards for the period of Jan 1. through Dec. 31, 2005.
The award ceremony is scheduled for 7 p.m. August 17 at the Hilton Mark Center in Alexandria, VA.