Tobyhanna Army Depot Honors Local Hero with New Award

Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) recently had the privilege of honoring a local hero with the new Tobyhanna Outstanding Active-Duty Servicemember award.

The Outstanding Active-Duty Servicemember award was established to commit anew to the depot’s longstanding tradition of celebrating the relationship between the workforce at TYAD and the service members they support. To be considered for the award, unit leaders must demonstrate the ways their candidates selflessly dedicate themselves to the defense of the United States, live in alignment with the U.S. Army’s core values, and are dedicated to supporting the growth and prosperity of their communities.

Selected from a group of nominations pooled from active-duty units operating in the community surrounding TYAD, Sgt. 1st Class Erin Kuhlmeier of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Headquarters Support Company (HSC) of the 55th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (55th MEB) out of Scranton was found to embody the qualities sought for the first ever recipient of TYAD’s new award.

Lt. Col. Cliff Morales, Brigade Action Officer leading the Pennsylvania National Guard unit quartered in the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Scranton, proudly championed the soldier for consideration of the award in a nomination package in which he stated, “Sgt. 1st Class Kuhlmeier is a phenomenal NCO who selflessly provides guidance, direction, and care for more than 200 soldiers. She performs administration functions for her whole unit and oversees logistics and training requirements for her subordinates, all while maintaining an infectious can-do attitude.”

Even before enlisting in 2009, Kuhlmeier felt a determination to be all she can be in support of her nation and community. “My grandfather was in the Navy and my father spent some time in the Army,” said Kuhlmeier. “I wanted to continue the tradition.”

Kuhlmeier emphasized, “I wanted to give more to the community – this passion inspired me to join the National Guard.”

In her 15 years of service, Kuhlmeier has received many awards for the excellent execution of her duties, which included deployments to Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay.

In her current role as the Readiness Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) of HSC 55th MEB, Kuhlmeier oversees and manages all aspects of the unit’s readiness, including personnel administration, training, and medical readiness – ensuring the unit’s soldiers are prepared for missions.

“Military service has greatly shaped who I am by embedding strong values such as discipline, responsibility, leadership, and a deep sense of camaraderie,” Kuhlmeier said.

In addition to her official duties, Kuhlmeier also makes time to support her local community through volunteering at the Griffin Pond Animal Shelter in South Abington Township, Pennsylvania, and the St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

“Giving back and building a meaningful connection with [my community] is why I like to volunteer,” said Kuhlmeier. “It is a great feeling to know you are contributing to the community.”

Kuhlmeier was honored as TYAD’s first Outstanding Active-Duty Servicemember during a midgame ceremony at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hockey team’s Veterans Appreciation Night on Nov. 9 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. TYAD Commander Col. James L. Crocker and Depot Sgt. Maj. Michael S. Riggs presented Kuhlmeier with a bronze statue and Certificate of Achievement for her military accomplishments and contributions to her community. The president of the Tobyhanna Chapter of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) presented Kuhlmeier with the AUSA’s Distinguished Service Award along with a complimentary two-year membership to the association.

“I was very humbled by the experience of receiving this award,” shared Kuhlmeier. “The team I work with is just as deserving of this award as I am, as I would not be here today if it was not for their efforts as well.”

The Tobyhanna Outstanding Active-Duty Servicemember award and other military and employee recognition programs align with Tobyhanna’s long-range strategic plan, TOBY2035 – specifically the Connecting with the Community line of effort. The goal of Tobyhanna Army Depot’s plan is to strive to position Tobyhanna for success in the coming years as the Department of Defense’s premier worldwide C5ISR readiness provider.

Connecting with the community and investing in its people are just two tenets of Tobyhanna’s long-range strategic plan, TOBY2035. The plan focuses on posturing the depot to support future force requirements and has additional lines of effort dedicated to ensuring C5ISR readiness across the joint services and shaping the future.