Red Ball Express Award

Purpose.  In recognition of superb contributions to Tactical Wheeled Vehicles, the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA)  and public leadership or achievement that results in significant contributions to the development, introduction or support of Tactical Wheeled Vehicles. The recipient must have made significant contributions that led to the strengthening of our national security by developing, procuring, or supporting Tactical Wheeled Vehicles or enabling critical technologies that contribute to the same.

Members of the Tactical Wheeled Vehicle (TWV) community -

 

The submittal deadline for Red Ball Express Award nominations has been extended to COB next Friday, March 31st.

 

NDIA's TWV Division is pleased to announce it will present its 6th annual Red Ball Express Award to a deserving government and industry organization or individual at the 2017 conference, to be held May 15 – 17, 2017, in Reston, Virginia.  This year, the TWV committee is accepting nominations for recognition in both the industry and the government sectors to recognize the important contributions made in both areas.  The recipients will have made significant contributions that have led to the strengthening of our national security by developing, procuring or supporting TWV's or critical technologies that contribute to them.  As always, if a submission for either nomination category fails to meet the Red Ball Express award guidelines, then the award for that category will be deferred for the next year. 

 

The division is now accepting Red Ball Express Award nominations. Nominations will be in the form of a letter not exceeding two pages and be submitted to Eddie Garcia, the division chairman, at email egarcia@defense.oshkoshcorp.com, Barry Tyree, the vice chairman, at email bntyree@bntconsulting.com, or any member of the steering committee before Friday, March 31, 2017.

 

Members of the steering committee and additional information on the Red Ball Express Award are available at http://www.ndia.org/divisions/tactical-wheeled-vehicles.

 

We look forward to your nominations.

 

The “Red Ball Express” award was proudly named after the famous Transportation Unit in WWII.

The Red Ball Express was an enormous truck convoy system created in 1944 to supply Allied forces moving quickly through Europe after breaking out from the D-Day beaches in Normandy. Some 28 divisions were advancing across France and Belgium, each ordinarily requiring 700-750 tons a day.  Patton's 3rd Army was soon grinding to a halt from lack of fuel and ordnance.  The route, marked with red balls, was closed to civilian traffic; the trucks were marked with the same red balls and given priority on regular roads.  The key to pursuit was a continuous supply of fuel and ordnance, thus leading to the Red Ball Express.

Since this award is from the Tactical Wheeled Vehicle (or Trucks) Division of NDIA, we thought the award should be a lasting tribute to those that pioneered the way for us that serve or support the military transportation industry today.

 

Past Red Ball Express Award Recipients

  • 2016 - Ms. Patricia Plotkowski, Deputy Project Manager, Transportation Systems
  • 2015 - Mr. Jeff Bradel, ONR
  • 2014 - Douglas R. Bush and Jesse D. Tolleson of the Congressional House Armed Services Oversight Team
  • 2013 - Mr. Michael D. Sprang, JPO JLTV
  • 2012 - Joint Program Office, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles

 

Red Ball Express Award

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