From villager to leading a village: DLA Energy Soldier earns U.S. Army Award for Petroleum Excellence

Recognized for his leadership and excellence in petroleum management and fuel handling, Army Sgt. 1st Class Larry Stanford received the 2025 U.S. Army Award for Petroleum Excellence in the Individual Leader category. The award was announced in an All Army Activities message issued May 29, 2026.

While honored for individual feats, Stanford credits the achievement to the Soldiers, noncommissioned officers, or NCOs, and mentors who helped shape his career and those in his platoon.

"It takes a village, and one Soldier can't do it all," said Stanford, who is the senior operations NCO for Defense Logistics Agency Energy Americas North. "Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to serve alongside leaders who exemplified these principles through work ethic, technical expertise and genuine care for their troops. When you demonstrate authentic concern for both the Soldier and the mission, those standards reciprocate across the entire team. Embracing these tenets helped us build a disciplined, talented platoon whose collective efforts ultimately made this recognition possible."

Stanford said his advice to future petroleum leaders is simple:

"Your efforts each day are vital to the Army's strategic reach. Hold yourself to the highest technical standards, take pride in your mission and take care of your Soldiers," said Stanford. "Build that culture of excellence, and the results will follow. Last but certainly not least: If it ain't flowin', they ain't going!"

The U.S. Army Award for Petroleum Excellence recognizes leaders who demonstrate exemplary leadership in petroleum operations. Technical and operational experts from the U.S. Army Petroleum Center evaluate nominees for excellence in petroleum management and fuel handling in support of the warfighter.

After assuming responsibility for his platoon in April 2024, Stanford conducted a baseline assessment of personnel, equipment, training and mission requirements to identify operational gaps. He determined communication was often the point of failure and restructured how real-time information was managed by establishing dedicated digital communication channels and a synchronized tracking board.

His leadership in aligning the right talent to each mission enabled the platoon to place in the top 8% of the Army during the Aviation Resource Management Survey inspection while maintaining 24-hour medical evacuation support in 55-degree-below-zero Arctic conditions. At the same time, half of his team was deployed to Indonesia in support of Exercise Garuda Shield, operating in temperatures exceeding 90 degrees.

Along with the U.S. Army Award for Petroleum Excellence, Stanford also received the Army Quartermaster Corps' prestigious Order of Saint Martin, recognizing Quartermaster personnel who demonstrate the highest standards of integrity, moral character and professional competence.

"Stanford has been a linchpin in the Army fuels mission in Alaska," said Stephens. "His leadership ensured an outstanding 82% mission-capable rate for the 22 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks that he was responsible for in the harsh Arctic climate, enabling robust sustainment capabilities for his Army unit. This accomplishment alone is amazing and highlights his leadership competence and knack for propelling unit readiness."

To develop the next generation of petroleum leaders, Stanford empowered his NCOs to take ownership of the platoon's training program across five pillars: accountability, equipment, quality surveillance, safety and hands-on operations. He also implemented an Instructor Qualification Course model to standardize training and develop confident and knowledgeable leaders.

Stanford said his leadership philosophy has been shaped by 21 years of service, and for him, the award represents more than individual achievement. It reflects the collective effort of a platoon committed to technical excellence, disciplined leadership and taking care of one another. It is a village built by those who invested in him and one he now strives to lead.