21st TSC legal service team wins Army-level awards

The motto of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, “First in Support,” was clearly evident during the Department of Army level Client Services Awards ceremony Oct. 13 on Kleber Kaserne.

Annually Army legal services compete for the Army Chief of Staff Award for Excellence in Legal Assistance and The Judge Advocate General Award for Excellence in Claims.

The fiscal year 2010 competition was dominated by the 21st TSC law centers which are scattered throughout the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

The 21st TSC law centers won four out of five of the legal assistance awards and three out of the five claims awards in U.S. Army Europe.

For the first time ever, all of the 21st TSC legal assistance offices were winners and for the first time in history, the Stuttgart Law Center won the TJAG’s Excellence in Claims Award culminating a dedicated effort to improve the claims operations in Stuttgart.

“Historically the 21st has been winning these awards every year,” said Brig. Gen. Aundre F. Piggee, the commanding general of the 21st TSC. “In the past 10 years we (21st TSC) have won 66 Department of the Army level awards. That is an indication of the leadership and true professionalism of that entire team,” he added.

“We are privileged to have a great group of people who have worked very hard to take care of the needs of our clientele,” said Stephen Smith, the senior civilian attorney for the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate and Chief of Client Services for the 21st TSC. “The Department of the Army saw fit this year to recognize those who work in the trenches day after day.” The overall concept of the ceremony was to acknowledge the singular accomplishments of the client services team, while at the same time showcasing some of the talent that contributed to winning the awards.

“The one common denominator is the quality of the people and the experience of the people who work in those offices,” said Smith. “I feel tremendously proud and it is very gratifying to see them get the recognition that they have always deserved, particularly at the DA level.”