LOGCOM employee receives Above and Beyond Award

Andrew Trout, section supervisor, Retail Inventory Support Section, Logistics Services Management Center, Marine Corps Logistics Command, was presented with the Above and Beyond Award during a ceremony held at LOGCOM Headquarters, Building 3700, May 28.

The award was presented by Michael Bryant, field representative to U.S. Congressman Sanford D. Bishop Jr., 2nd Congressional District, Georgia, and state representative from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

The award is to recognize employers at the local level that have gone above and beyond the legal requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act by providing their Guard and Reserve employees additional, non-mandated benefits such as differential or full pay to offset lost wages, extended health benefits, and other similar benefits, according to the website, www.esgr.mil/Employer-Awards/Above-and-Beyond-Award.aspx.

In November 2013, Trout was also nominated for the ESGR Patriot Award by former employee and Marine reservist, Daniel R. Erdmann an inventory management specialist, Coordinated Secondary Reparable Management, LSMC. 

Trout worked closely with Erdmann at the time and helped him juggle two positions, one as platoon commander in the Marine Corps Reserves and the other as an inventory management specialist.

Trout made sure Erdmann had what he needed to accomplish both jobs. 

“When I was serving as a platoon commander in the Marine Corps Reserve, I basically had two jobs,” Erdmann said. “The flexibility and support provided by Mister Trout and the SECREP Management team allowed me to meet my Reserve service obligations and take care of my 30 Marines spread across three states, and also fulfill my duties in supporting the Marine Forces as a civil service employee. 

“For this, I nominated Mister Trout last year for the Patriot Award, which ultimately led the ESGR State Committee to select Coordinated SECREP Management for the Above and Beyond Award,” he said.

“With two of us in the section serving in the Reserve, the section lost nearly 20 percent of its workforce every time we had to go off for training, and sometimes it was on short notice,” Erdmann said. “There was never a gripe or complaint; it was always ‘have fun, be safe (and) see you when you get back.’”

Bradley C. Walsh, a supply technician with Coordinated SECREP Management, LOGCOM, worked with Trout as a Marine reservist.

“The flexibility allowed by Mister Trout and the section has been a great advantage in my duties of taking care of my Marines and supporting my leaders,” Walsh said, who is a Marine corporal reservist with 1st Platoon, 3rd Squad Leader, Detachment 2, Supply Company (-), Combat Logistics Battalion-453, Combat Logistics Regiment-4, 4th Marine Logistics Group.

Trout said he was honored to receive the award.

“The guardsmen and reservists that work at LOGCOM have two jobs, and are excellent employees who are an intricate part of our warfighting team,” he said. “After working at a Reserve unit for four years during my service on active duty and another few years at the Marine Forces Reserve Reparable Issue Point, I understand the challenges that Dan and Brad face and also the benefits that they bring to the table. 

“At the same time, they take the knowledge they acquire from their civil service jobs back to their unit to train better Marines,” he said. “I’m glad to be able to support the Marine Corps in another capacity by supporting these Reserve Marines.”

According to Patton Jones, branch head, Coordinated Retail Management, LSMC, “having served with both guardsmen and reservists in garrison, deployed and combat operations, I have seen first-hand what these individuals bring to the fight. The command and all of our centers take pride in our Guardsmen and Reservists’ willingness to serve, and we will do all we can in support of their training/ mission requirements.”