Local New York Army National Guard Maintenance Facility is Best in National Guard

Fort Drum Manuever Area Training Equipment Site Earns Army Award for Maintenance Excellence

FORT DRUM, NY (05/06/2010)(readMedia)-- The New York Army National Guard's maintenance operation at Fort Drum has been named one of the best in the Army for 2009.

The Maneuver Area Training Equipment Site–New York, known as MATES, was named the best medium sized National Guard maintenance facility by the Chief of Staff of the Army and has been awarded the Army Award for Maintenance Excellence.

Eighteen maintenance units and operations across the Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve where recognized by this year's awards.

MATES provides storage for New York Army National Guard equipment used for training at Fort Drum, as well as providing maintenance support to National Guard units training there. The facility is staffed by 94 full-time Guard Soldiers and civilian federal and state employees.

"New York MATES represents the best the Army National Guard has in the way of people and facilities," said Brig. Gen. Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York.

"The recognition of the New York MATES as one of the Army's premier maintenance and first in the medium category illustrates the switch the facility has made from servicing mainly tanks and other tracked vehicles to supporting wheeled vehicles," Murphy said.

Beginning in 2005 the New York Army National Guard has shifted its focus from fielding tank and mechanized infantry units towards providing lighter infantry and artillery units and military police elements. These units can deploy more quickly and are needed in low-intensity combat like that in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Army Award for Maintenance Excellence was established in 1982 as a way to recognize the valuable work done by maintenance Soldiers.

The MATES staff made earning this award a priority, said Col. Reginald Sanders, MATES superintendent. His team wanted to show that they can stand with the best maintenance operations in the National Guard and in the Army, Sanders said.

Units and facilities which earn the award demonstrate high equipment readiness rates, effective use of resources, innovative management programs, and the Soldiers working there demonstrate a high level of training. The evaluation process includes on site inspections.

Army maintenance operations are divided into TDA units, the abbreviation for Table of Distribution and Allowancews, which support a post or various facilities, and TOE ,or Table of Organization and Equipment, units that deploy to combat theaters. The Fort Drum MATES is a TDA facility.