MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE ALBANY, Ga. -- Winning the title of Marine Corps Installations East’s Hard Charger of the Week award might be something most Marines would brag about, but one Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany Marine talks about his feat quietly.
MCIEAST is located at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., and MCLB Albany falls under MCIEAST.
Cpl. JuVante M. Butler, administration specialist, Military Personnel Center, received the award during a ceremony Nov. 2 in front of Building 3500. According to his award citation, he set the standard for proficiency, professionalism and dedication to duty while serving aboard MCLB Albany from Oct. 22-26.
Butler is the second MCLB Albany Marine to win the recognition. Sgt. Aspen Thompson, a member of Military Operations and Training Branch, won it in June.
“Corporal Butler was nominated for the Hard Charger of the Week Award for going above and beyond in performing his daily duties and responsibilities,” Sgt. Maj. Conrad Potts, sergeant major, MCLB Albany, said. “Corporal Butler is the second Marine from the command to receive the award from MCIEAST for such achievements and there will be more to follow in the future. His hard work and dedication to duty has reflected greatly upon him and the entire Military Personnel office and I expect more exceptional things from him in the future.”
Derek Thomas, head of the Military Personnel Center, portrayed Butler as being an exceptional Marine.
“He’s not afraid to take on challenges,” Thomas said. “Some days those challenges can be difficult, but when you work with Corporal Butler, he makes it seem easy. He has this carefree excitement about being a Marine. (He’s focused) on being a Marine. (I’m) very proud of him.”
A Marine for three years, Butler earned the Hard Charger of the Week recognition through his participation in numerous color guards and funeral details since April 2010, and community events such as hospital drives and a school mentorship program. He estimated he’s participated in more than 200 community events while stationed here.
“It feels great to have it,” he said, noting the award inspired him to continue volunteering for as many activities as he can on and off base. “I love to volunteer because while (growing) up I didn’t really have that kind of guidance, so for me to have the opportunity to help kids as well as my peers makes me feel pretty good about myself as a person and as a Marine. I’m making an impact in the best way as I possibly can.”
The 21-year-old from Vidalia, Ga., also garnered the honor graduate spot in the Corporals Course, which ran here from Oct. 22-Nov. 2. Fifteen corporals and four lance corporals from around the Marine Corps - Albany and Warner Robbins, Ga.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Alabama - attended the course.
“Corporal Butler has truly been a beacon of professionalism and motivation, which also helped him achieve the honor graduate status at the recent Corporals Leadership Course,” Potts said.