YTC Mission Support Employee of the Quarter

Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) is the home of Yuma Test Center (YTC) which conducts testing on virtually every piece of equipment in the U.S. Army’s ground combat arsenal. YTC leadership recently named Karen Mort the Mission Support Employee of the Third Quarter for her work supporting that mission.

“I was totally shocked and surprised,” said Mort after receiving the award in a surprise ceremony with YTC Commander Lt. Col. Shane Dering.

Mort works as an Equipment Specialist supporting the Instrumentation Division. She was selected for the outstanding and vital work she and her team do to purchase essential equipment that ranges from instrumentation for testing, to personal protective equipment.

Mort humbly does not take the credit for what she does, she proudly gives credit to teamwork.

“I have a fantastic three member Trax team that are my A team, and I cannot live without them. None of this possible without them,” she said smiling.

Mort’s career at YPG has spanned nearly 12 years. She started her career at Trax International as a photographer and was cross-trained and utilized in purchasing.

“I was asked to go help in supply in 2012 and I never left,” she recalls.

Since then, Mort moved into a government position. She and her team are responsible for purchasing, receiving, in-processing, tracking, distribution, and inventory of the equipment purchased for the Instrumentation Division. The division serves a vital support role for testing. Instrumentation is used on virtually every test at YTC to collect data. Mort was hired by the government on April Fool’s Day and laughs saying she told leaders, “Either the jokes on them or on me.”

It’s surely been no joke that Mort is a vital member of the YTC family.

Mort adds, “You can’t be good at anything or do anything important if you are not all in and everybody here is all in. They give 100%. I am proud to be a part of this team.”

Listen to Mort’s full interview on the Outpost Outspoken podcast episode 17 on Aug. 22 by scanning the QR code below.