Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Heath Zeigler | 231108-N-JC800-1001 SINGAPORE (Nov. 8, 2023) – U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Chief...... read more read more
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"War is impossible without logistics, and thus every Marine, during the planning and execution of operations, is constantly considering how to employ logistics best to ensure mission success," said Chief Warrant Officer Antonio J. Milord, a U.S. Marine, rotationally based in Southeast Asia.
Commander, Marine Corps Systems Command (COM MARCORSYSCOM) recently recognized Milord in 2023 as the calendar year 2022 Marine Corps Ammunition Officer of the Year. Based in Singapore, at Commander Logistics Group Western Pacific (COMLOG WESTPAC)/Task Force 73 (CTF-73), Milord was amongst six of 42 nominated Marine logisticians awarded for exceptional performance in ordnance logistics.
"My number one priority is delivering credible sustainment to our deployed naval forces in the Commander, Seventh Fleet AOR [area of operations], along with our regional allies and partners," said Rear Adm. Mark A. Melson, commander of Task Force 73. "Chief Warrant Officer Milord's award recognition speaks to his vital contribution in helping us rearm units in the Indo-Pacific and the importance of naval integration."
From small caliber rounds for 9MM pistols to rockets and rocket launchers like the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), Milord was the USMC's go-to subject matter expert in 2022 for coordinating the logistics for ammunitions and explosives (A&E) in the Indo-Pacific AOR.. The A&E he helped transport was to "support Marine Expeditionary Units and various missions and patrols for ground and maritime forces," said Milord.
In his daytime job, Milord operates as one of two marines in the U.S. Navy's COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73, where he works as the lead ammunition logistics officer for the Indo-Pacific region. He develops logistical plans by coordinating shipments of ammunition and explosives while managing inventory levels to ensure "the Marine Corps' ordnance inventory in the AOR is properly maintained at all times [for competition or conflict]," he said.
With a department-wide focus on contested logistics and sustainment, Milord's role and award recognition punctuate the importance of logistics in support of Distributed Maritime Operations and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations. In an Oct 6, 2022 interview, retired Admiral Jamie Foggo referred to logistics as the "sixth domain of warfare." In one of his final outgoing interviews, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. David Berger, said his focus for the USMC was "logistics-logistics-logistics." Berger questioned, "How do we make sure that we can sustain the force, that we can have the mobility for that force globally when it's being contested," in a Jun 28, 2023 interview.
Milord’s role at CTF-73 is helping to satisfy some of those questions.
The calendar year 2023 witnessed multiple officers across the Joint Force making history and breaking barriers, such as Admiral Lisa Franchetti, who was senate-confirmed as the first woman to become the Chief of Naval Operations and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Comparably, Gen. Charles, 'C.Q.' Brown became the second African American since the late Gen. Colin Powell to be senate-confirmed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. And while Chief Warrant Officer Milord's award didn't warrant (pun intended) a senate confirmation or national headlines, he did break barriers and make USMC history. Milord is the sole African American in the Marine Corps to win the top Ammo Marine of the Year honors – twice – once as a commissioned officer and once as an enlisted Marine..
"I am only the second Marine officer to have accomplished this feat as I originally won the Ammunition NCO [non-commissioned officer] of the Year award 10 years ago in 2012 as a sergeant," said Milord. "However, I am the first African American Marine Officer to win this award – two times."
The Winchester, Virginia native is consumed with weapons on and off the clock as he is proudly qualified to shoot both the M14 and M16 rifles as well as the Beretta and Glock pistols. He is also a third-degree USMC black belt martial arts instructor – certified to train students in firearm disarmament, ground fighting and hand-to-hand combat.
However contrary to his resume and certifications, it isn’t all about bullets and belts for A.J. In 2023, he graduated with a 3.95 GPA from Liberty University with a master's degree in business administration (MBA) – debt free. “This would not be possible if I didn't take advantage of the Tuition Assistance (TA) program”, said Milord.
The avid bachata dancer and scuba diver says his next career endeavor is to "promote to Chief Warrant Officer 3 and then apply for the Limited Duty (LDO) program with the aspirations to be promoted to Captain or O3-E".
Milord’s Ammunition Officer of the Year honor is the second consecutive award in logistics superiority for COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73, who also won the U.S. Navy's Admiral Stan Arthur Team Award for logistics excellence in 2021. Much like the city-state it's based in, CTF-73 consistently punches above its weight with a small contingent of approximately 100 personnel charged with coordinating the refueling, resupplying, and rearming of all deployed U.S. naval forces in the Indo-Pacific region.
For more coverage on the Marines, Sailors, and civilian mariners assigned to Task Force 73, search COMLOG WESTPAC in DVIDS
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/431770/singapore-based-command-named-us-navys-top-logistics-team
or follow COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73 on LinkedIn.
| Date Taken: | 11.10.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 11.10.2023 00:02 |
| Story ID: | 457641 |
| Location: | SG |
| Web Views: | 624 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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