MTMC's top 2001 performers receive recognition.

The operations officer of a MTMC terminal unit and a programmer analyst in the Integrated Booking System were among those selected for top performance awards by the Military Traffic Management Command.

Four MTMC staffers were honored at MTMC's 37th MTMC Anniversary Ball, on March 2, at the Fort Belvoir Officers' Club.

The four, three military and one civilian, were honored for quality duty performance in 2001. They were selected in a competitive review of their work records. Additionally, the uniformed award winners had to show competence in their bearing, physical fitness and military knowledge.

Award winners include:

* 1st Lt. Kevin Drew, Operations Officer, 832nd Transportation Battalion, Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico 

* Betti Cushing, Programmer Analyst, Integrated Booking System Branch, MTMC Headquarters.

* Staff Sgt. Damon Poulin, Documentation NCO, 842nd Transportation Battalion, Beaumont, Texas, and

* Sgt. Zoraida Fernandez, Traffic Management Coordinator In-transit Warehouse Branch, 837th Transportation Battalion, Pusan, Korea.

Drew was selected as the Major General Henry R. Del Mar Junior Officer of the Year Award for 2001. The award citation complimented Drew on his "hard work, technical knowledge and expertise" in the performance of his duties.

"It is a pretty big area of operations," said Drew. "We are responsible for Department of Defense shipments within the entire Southern Hemisphere. We have numerous sustainment missions for U.S. Southern Command."

Previously, Drew was assigned to the 1st Corps Support Command (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

Cushing was selected as the MTMC Civilian Performer of the Year for 2001.

"I think working together as part of a team is very important," said Cushing. "I have the pleasure to work with a very dedicated group of people--both government employees and contractors. I could not do my job well without everyone else's support."

A 16-year veteran, Cushing works on maintaining the rate loading process and providing database support for the Requirements Forecasting and Rate Analysis Module, and the Carrier Analysis and Rate Evaluation system of the Integrated Booking System.

Cushing was deployed to the 598th Transportation Group, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, during Operation Desert Storm, and was assigned to the Cargo Document Office. Her duties included handling documentation for cargo moving from Germany to Saudi Arabia.

Poulin was selected as the MTMC NCO of the Year for 2001. A 14-year Army veteran, Poulin has had overseas assignments in Germany, Italy and in Operation Desert Storm. In support of short-term deployments, he has served in Hungary, Haiti and France.

"Staff Sergeant Poulin's past assignments with the warfighters have significantly enhanced our ability to focus on their unique requirements when deploying or redeploying through Gulf Coast ports," said Lt. Col. Timothy Civils, Commander, 842nd Transportation Battalion.

Fernandez was selected as MTMC Soldier of the Year for 2001. She entered the Army in November 1998 and later attended the Traffic Management Coordinator Course, at Fort Eustis, Va. While assigned to the 837th Transportation Battalion, Fernandez has deployed on multiple missions.

"Sergeant Fernandez was involved in just about every deployment the unit had during her tenure," said Maj. Sam Blanton, Executive Officer, 837th Transportation Battalion.

Her attributes include a perfect 300 score on the last Army Physical Fitness Test. She was promoted to sergeant in November.

"I stayed so busy with terminal operations that my one-year unaccompanied tour went by fast," said Fernandez. "It was a lot of fun being part of the 837th `Kargo King' family.