FORT NOVOSEL, Ala. — Maj. Gen. Michael McCurry, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Novosel commander, presented the 2023 Lt. Gen. Ellis D. Parker Award category Combat Service Support to 404th Support Battalion, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4h Infantry Division during the Army Aviation Senior Leader Forum awards dinner held Jan. 24, 2024.
“Tonight, we recognize units and individuals who have exceeded the standard. They were nominated for some of the most prestigious awards in Army Aviation,” said McCurry. “I congratulate the award recipients and reaffirm that the actions that earned you this recognition are emblematic of the sacred trust. I ask the awardees to continue to drive excellence in all they do, to inspire others to the same bar, and to tell their story in their units and in their hometowns!”
The Lt. Gen. Ellis D. Parker Award, a multi-component Department of the Army level award, recognized the top Army Aviation battalion for the unit’s excellence in accomplishing its mission essential task list. The award, named for Army Aviation pioneer Lt. Gen. “Don” Parker, also recognized excellence and encouraged innovative use of existing management tools and resources.
The category for nominations was based on the unit mission statement and unit mission essential task list. The Parker Award was divided into four categories which included combat, combat support, combat service support, and table of distribution and allowances. The award recognized extraordinary excellence in the areas of leadership, training, maintenance, and safety.
The Lt. Gen. Ellis D. Parker Award annually recognizes the top Army Aviation battalions (or equivalent) in four categories based on unit mission, and is named for Lt. Gen. Don Parker, an Army Aviation pioneer. Awards will be formally presented to the units in the near future.
Combat Support Category and overall winner: 3d Battalion, 2d Aviation Regiment (GSAB), 2d Combat Aviation Brigade, 2d Infantry Division, Camp Humphreys, Korea.
Combat Category: 4th Battalion, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado.
Combat Service Support Category: 404th Aviation Support Battalion, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado.
Lt. Gen. Don Parker, for whom the award is named after, provided vision, masterful leadership, and commitment necessary to consolidate and modernize Army Aviation. He was born in Sadlersville, Tennessee, in 1932 and graduated from Field Artillery Officer Candidate School as a distinguished graduate in 1957 and Army Primary Flight Training in 1958. Parker earned his wings in various fixed wing aircraft including the Grumman OV-1 Mohawk and the Bell UH-1B and H Iroquois gunship.
The Army Aviation officially became a branch on April 12, 1983 under his command. Parker retired from the Army in 1992 with over 5,000 flying hours and was inducted into the Army Field Artillery Hall of Fame in 1982 and the Army Aviation Hall of Fame in 1995.
More information on the Lt. Gen. Ellis D. Parker Award can be found at: https://home.army.mil/novosel/usaace/edpaward
https://home.army.mil/rucker/index.php/about/usaace/usaace-g1g4/ellis-d-parker-award
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| Date Taken: | 01.24.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 01.29.2024 19:06 |
| Story ID: | 462683 |
| Location: | FORT NOVOSEL, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 192 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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