Paratroopers earn best maintenance award

By Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod
1st BCT, 82nd Abn. Div. PAO

	Photo by Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod/1st BCT, 82nd Abn. Div. PAO Lt. Col. Andrew Danwin, commander of 307th Battlefield Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division awards an Army Commendation Medal to Chief Warrant Officer Jason Kovatchitch, June 16, at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq.

AL ASAD AIRBASE, Iraq — A group of 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers based at Al Asad Airbase was recognized June 16 for being named the best maintenance company in the Army.

Twenty-one troops were awarded the Army Commendation Medal and 35 more awarded the Army Achievement Medal in a ceremony to recognize their contributions to Company B, 307th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team winning the fiscal 2009 Army Award for Maintenance Excellence.

“They are the best maintenance company of all the maintenance companies within the Army,” said Lt. Col. Andrew Danwin, 307th BSB commander. “This is not something that was just slapped together. It’s been something we’ve been building on for years. The entire battalion has had a hand in that.”

According to battalion maintenance officer, Chief Warrant Officer Jason Kovatchitch, the majority of the competition hinged on a 21-page narrative describing what the company does, followed by an inspection by the Department of the Army G-4 office.

While the “Black Devil” battalion was stationed for the majority of fiscal 2009 at Fort Bragg, the last 3 to 4 months was spent preparing for deployment and receiving equipment in Iraq, he said.
“I think it gave us the edge over everybody else,” said Kovatchitch, who has been in the Army for 18 years.

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