NY National Guard Maintainers are Runner-ups for Best in Army Guard Medium Units in 2025

by Richard Goldenberg

NEW YORK (05/20/2025) — The New York Army National Guard's 145th Maintenance Company has been named runner-up for the title of best medium sized Army Guard maintenance unit for 2025.

The company, which is based at the Manor Road Armory on Staten Island, was recognized by the Army's Chief of Ordnance during the Award for Maintenance Excellence virtual ceremony conducted online on May 6.

"I'm proud that the Soldiers of the 145th are receiving well-deserved recognition for their dedication," said New York Army National Guard Capt. Shaunita Allicock, the 145th Maintenance Company Commander. "Their passion and commitment to mission success are what earned this honor."

The Army Chief of Staff conducts the award program annually. The Army Chief of Ordnance, the chief proponent for the Ordnance Branch, recognizes Army units for excellence in maintenance operations.

"Your selection reflects your position as leaders in maintenance excellence across the Army," said Col. Rob Montgomery, the Army's Chief of Ordnance, in his awardee selection announcement on April 29.

"The exceptional logistics programs within your organizations have demonstrably improved the Army's overall readiness," Montgomery wrote in his April 29 announcement.

Preparations for the unit award submission took six months, Allicock said.

The submission packet reviewed unit effectiveness in maintaining equipment, vehicles and weapons, ensuring Soldier maintenance and safety skills. The unit's standard operating procedures, known as SOPs, were also evaluated.

"From May to August 2024, platoons and sections across the unit collaborated to refine operations, update SOPs, and submit the final packet in August 2024," Allcock said.

The evaluation included both a packet submission and on-site evaluation April 17 from a team from the U.S. Army Ordnance School, based in Virginia.

"The on-site evaluation covered 18 distinct maintenance programs and lasted seven hours, from 0800 to 1500," Allicock said.

"Sections leaders guided evaluators through detailed SOPs and physical walk-throughs of their maintenance areas throughout the armory, and examining paperwork, validating each area of responsibility," she added.

The efforts to prepare a packet and host an evaluation team paid dividends for the Soldiers of the 145th, Allicock said.

"The Army Award for Maintenance Excellence offers our Soldiers tangible recognition for the countless hours they dedicate to maintenance operations," she said. "It reinforces pride in their craftsmanship and motivates continued excellence."

Feedback from the evaluation team gave insight to the company to improve for both their unit readiness and the 2026 competition, Allicock said.

"The submission and evaluation process gave us a clear opportunity to identify areas for improvement in maintenance operations and SOPs. It sharpened our readiness posture and helped us pinpoint actionable steps we can implement to compete even stronger next year," she said.

The Soldiers appreciated the recognition by the Army's Ordnance Center, Allicock said.

The company came in behind the 1244th Transportation Company, part of the Illinois Army National Guard.

The runner-up award is "meaningful recognition of the long hours and hard work they dedicate to supporting the unit's maintenance mission," she said.

The 145th Maintenance Company serves as part of the 369th Sustainment Brigade, based in Harlem.

The brigade provides mission command for a full range of sustainment operations, supporting deployed troops, managing materiel, and optimizing theater distribution of all types of supply.

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