Army honors two Trailblazers officers for leadership

  • Published
  • By Army Staff Sgt. Jason Epperson
  • 3rd MEB PAO
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  "Duty, Honor, Country - those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be."

Those words echoed from an awards speech Gen. Douglas MacArthur delivered in 1962. Today, they are the foundation of the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award.

The program recognizes company grade officers who demonstrate the ideals of duty, honor and country.

The award is intended to promote and sustain effective junior officer leadership throughout the Army.

Two out of the 14 active duty officers selected for the award from the entire active-duty Army hail from the same Alaska-based unit, the 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade "Trailblazers."

Capt. Anthony Howell and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Lanorris Ford, both serving in the 3rd MEB, will travel to Washington, D.C., May 18-19 to receive the award.

Capt. Anthony Howell said he first found out about his nomination through his chain of command.

His battalion commander recommended him to the 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade commander, Col. Barry Williams. His packet was then submitted to the U.S. Army Alaska commanding general, Maj. Gen. Raymond Palumbo, who submitted his packet to U.S. Army Pacific.

"It is a humbling honor to be nominated and selected by my leadership," Howell said.
Howell has served on three deployments in Iraq, two of those as a company commander.

U.S. Army Pacific nominated the two companies he led, the 164th and the 472d military police companies, for the Brig. Gen. Jeremiah P. Holland award, which recognized outstanding military police companies.

Howell said he shares the credit with the Soldiers under his command.

"No one is successful without the help of their Soldiers and NCOs," Howell, a native of West Lafayette, Ind., said. "I believe I had the best company in the Army comprised of dedicated and disciplined Soldiers, strong NCOs, and eager officers all working together. I've also been blessed to have had amazing first sergeants who have developed me as a leader and as a commander."

Howell's parents will be in D.C. to see their son receive the award.

"My parents are very proud," Howell said. "Like any parents, they are proud of what their children accomplish. This will be the first time my parents have ever seen me receive an award."

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Lanorris Ford, a battalion maintenance officer with the 793rd Military Police Battalion, had never heard of the award until his battalion executive officer informed him he was being recommended for it.

After some research he soon learned it was a prestigious award.

Ford's accomplishments over the past year caught the attention of his command.

He deployed a company to Iraq, redeployed two companies Iraq, deployed and redeployed two companies to the National Training Center, conducted left-behind-equipment induction for two companies, reduced the brigade's backlog of mechanical services by more than 500 vehicles, assisted in the turn-in of more than $3.5 million worth of excess equipment, personally located mission-essential parts valued at more than $65,000, and ensured the operational readiness of five subordinate companies at two installations separated by 350 miles across Alaska.

When the 793rd moved from Germany to Alaska last year, Ford's brigade executive officer at the time, Lt. Col. Kim Zimmerman, selected him to head up the new battalion's maintenance program.

"Chief Ford is the best maintenance technician in the brigade, and I knew if anyone could accomplish the tough mission ahead, I knew it would be him. He never fails," Zimmerman said.

Ford was the only active duty warrant officer in the Army to win the MacArthur Leadership Award.

"It means a lot," Ford, a Belle Glade, Fla., native, said. "I'm a no-spotlight type of guy and don't like the attention, however to win a prestigious award like this, and being the only warrant on active duty to win, is in itself an accomplishment."

He said the honor calls to mind this saying: "To whom much is given, much is expected."
"Basically, what that is saying is, I had this great opportunity to receive this great award. Now I have to give back and try to help someone else receive this award," Ford said.