Before cargo moves, equipment rolls or units respond across the Korean Peninsula, maintenance has already shaped the mission.

Two 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command units were recognized during Sustainment Week on May 6, 2026 for Army-wide maintenance excellence. The 551st Inland Cargo Transfer Company, 25th Transportation Battalion, earned the Army Award for Maintenance Excellence (AAME) in the U.S. Active MTOE Medium Category and the Chief of Ordnance Best of the Best Maintenance Award. The Heavy Equipment Transporter Company, 7th Korean Service Corps Battalion, earned the AAME in the U.S. Army TDA Category.

The AAME program, established by the Chief of Staff of the Army in 1982, is an annual competition that evaluates maintenance programs across the Active Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve. Units compete through multiple levels of competition before reaching Department of the Army evaluation, where judges assess maintenance readiness, command emphasis, leader involvement, supply discipline, safety, operator-level maintenance and the integration of maintenance into mission execution.

For the 551st Inland Cargo Transfer Company at Camp Carroll, maintenance directly enables the unit’s mission of cargo movement, transportation coordination and terminal operations throughout the Korean Theater of Operations.

“Our mission supports the movement and distribution of cargo, equipment and personnel that directly enable readiness for units across the peninsula,” said U.S. Army Capt. Anthony Hazboun, commander of the 551st Inland Cargo Transfer Company, 15th Transportation Battalion.

The company moves equipment, containers and sustainment commodities while maintaining the tactical vehicles and material handling equipment required to execute those missions. The unit’s maintenance platoon is also responsible for Area IV recovery operations, responding when military vehicles break down across the largest operational area in Korea.

For the 551st, maintenance readiness and mission readiness are inseparable. If forklifts, tractors, trailers or tactical vehicles become unavailable, cargo movement and recovery operations across the theater would slow significantly.

The competition required far more than operational equipment and well-maintained vehicles. Evaluators reviewed the company’s overall maintenance program, including readiness management, command emphasis, safety practices, supply discipline, communications procedures, arms room operations and driver training.
“It was not just about having operational equipment,” Hazboun said. “The competition assessed whether maintenance was embedded into the culture of the organization.”

That culture of ownership became one of the company’s greatest strengths throughout the evaluation process.
“The Titans genuinely took ownership of the equipment and the maintenance program,” Hazboun said. “The unit demonstrated that maintenance was not treated as a standalone requirement; it was directly tied to mission accomplishment.”

Hazboun credited the company’s success to a team effort that included operators, mechanics, platoon leadership and junior noncommissioned officers. He highlighted Chief Warrant Officer 2 Wilkinson as a key contributor whose leadership helped prepare the unit for success.

“His relentless dedication and unparalleled ability to clearly communicate the task and purpose within his maintenance section to achieve the end state is what gave our team the edge relative to our competitors,” Hazboun said.

The commander also praised the company’s junior mechanics, many of whom confidently explained maintenance procedures and programs directly to senior ordnance warrant officers during the inspection.

The second award-winning organization, the Heavy Equipment Transporter Company, 7th Korean Service Corps Battalion at Camp Casey, demonstrates that maintenance excellence extends across the 19th ESC formation.
As the only Heavy Equipment Transporter company on the Korean Peninsula, the unit provides a unique capability supporting transportation requirements throughout the Korean Theater of Operations. The company routinely moves tracked vehicles and specialized equipment, including M88 recovery vehicles, M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, Joint Assault Bridges, Armored Breacher Vehicles and other combat and engineer platforms.

“The Corps members of the 7th KSC Company are extremely proud and honored to receive the Department of the Army AAME award once again,” said Mr. Han Sik Ko, commander of the Heavy Equipment Transporter Company.

The recognition continues a remarkable record of excellence. The company has participated in the competition since 2014, won the U.S. Army Pacific-level competition for 13 consecutive years and earned seven Department of the Army-level AAME titles.

According to Ko, that success is built on a year-round commitment to disciplined maintenance practices rather than short-term preparation for inspections.

“Proactive leader involvement at every level ensured maintenance standards were enforced, readiness remained high and every Corps member understood their role in achieving the company’s maintenance objectives,” Ko said.
The recognition of both units reflects the broader sustainment posture of the 19th ESC. Operating in Korea’s demanding environment requires maintenance programs capable of supporting continuous readiness across the theater.

Whether recovering disabled vehicles in Area IV, moving sustainment cargo through ports and airfields, or transporting heavy combat platforms from Camp Casey, maintenance directly contributes to operational capability and the Army’s “Fight Tonight” readiness posture.

For the Soldiers and Corps members who earned the awards, the recognition represents the daily discipline required to sustain readiness long after the competition ends.

“Awards like this are never the result of one person,” Hazboun said. “They are built through daily discipline, long hours and consistent standards across the formation.”
Ko echoed that sentiment.

“Winning this award is especially meaningful because it represents the collective effort of the entire company working together to maintain the highest standards of maintenance readiness,” he said.

For both units, the awards recognize work that often begins long before a mission becomes visible. Through disciplined maintenance, leader involvement and a culture of ownership, the 551st Inland Cargo Transfer Company and the Heavy Equipment Transporter Company continue to strengthen readiness across the Korean Peninsula.