Team Little Rock an AMC Installation Excellence Award finalist

  • Published
  • By Capt. Joe Knable
  • 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. --  Team Little Rock is one of three finalists for Air Mobility Command's nomination for The Commander-in-Chief's Installation Excellence Award, Col. Greg Otey, 19th Airlift Wing commander, announced Sept. 3.

The base will host an inspection team comprised of five colonels from AMC Oct. 4-6. During this visit, the team will inspect base facilities and meet the members of team Little Rock, said Lt. Col. Kenneth Walters, 19th Airlift Wing Director of Staff.

The AMC winner receives $100,000 to improve the quality of life of its people. The Air Force-level runner-up receives $500,000 and the overall winner receives $1 million.

"This is huge!" said Colonel Otey in an e-mail to base leaders. "You have all helped make (this) happen. Thanks for all you do to make Little Rock excellent!"

The base visit will be a team effort that everyone on base should be aware of and help prepare for. "This year, the Air Force board will be paying close attention to all energy conservation initiatives. Make sure to highlight this area of your installations," said Lt. Col. Peter Pollock, chief of AMC's strategic planning branch, directorate of installation and mission support.

While the Air Force conducts similar base visits for the two overall finalists, this preliminary visit is unique to AMC. "AMC is, last I knew, the only MAJCOM that spends the money to visit its finalists," said Col. Kirk Lear, 314th Airlift Wing vice commander, who was on the AMC review board last year that visited Fairchild, Charleston and Travis Air Force Bases. Travis Air Force Base, Calif., won AMC's nomination last year. Hurlburt Air Force Base, Fla., won the overall 2009 Air Force award.

The previous Air Force level award went to Dover Air Force Base, Del., the only time an Air Mobility Command base has won the award in its 25 year history, according to Air Force Times.

The review board will visit 26 various agencies specified by the Installation Excellence Award regulation, including airfield operations, the judge advocate office, the child development center, contracting and AAFES. The seven categories inspectors will focus on during the inspection are how the base:

- Improved the installation's work environment or physical plant.
- Improved the installation's quality of life.
- Enhanced productivity of the installation's work force.
- Increased customer satisfaction or improved customer service.
- Encouraged bottom-to-top communication and team problem solving.
- Promoted unit cohesiveness and recognized outstanding individual efforts.
- Promoted energy conservation and environmental safety to include compliance, remediation, and stewardship.

This is a great opportunity to show off Team Little Rock, said Colonel Lear in an e-mail to the base's team preparing for the visit. "Be excited! (Our nomination package) made the cut in what was likely very close voting ... The base that ultimately won (last year) did not have the number one package; they won for attitude, excitement and solid, well-delineated programs and overall presentation to the team when we were there.

"Just because you have older infrastructure doesn't mean you can't win," Colonel Lear continued. "The impression you make will be less about how the base 'looks,' although that's important, and more about doing with the resources you have, and how you sell it ... which is a great base and team!"