CINC Installation Excellence inspection concludes here, team heads for Hill

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace
  • 436th AW Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Most of the 436th and 512th Airlift Wing Airmen, tenant-unit servicemembers, Dover's mayor and several other visitors, packed into a maintenance hanger today to the beat of the Dover High School drum line, to celebrate the conclusion of the 2007 Air Force Commander in Chief's Installation Excellence Award inspection.

Though the CINC IE Selection Board still has to head to Utah to evaluate operations at Hill Air Force Base, spirits were high as Team Dover celebrated, in unison, their many accomplishments of 2007.

"You set the bar high," said Maj. Gen. Mark Anderson, the 2008 Air Force Commander in Chief's Installation Excellence Selection Board team chief and mobilization assistant to the deputy chief of staff of logistics, installations and mission support at Air Force headquarters, Pentagon.

"I saw nothing but excellence across the many areas I evaluated," continued the general. "What you've accomplished here in 2007 should make you all proud when you put your heads down on your pillows at night - this base is made of winners!"

This is the first time Dover has been a finalist for this award. As one of the final two bases, Dover has already won $500,000 for quality-of-life initiatives.

"If you win, you'll receive another five-hundred thousand (dollars) and the bragging rights that come along with being the best base in the Air Force," said General Anderson, whose remark put an immediate smile on the face of Dover's top officer, Col. Steven Harrison, 436th AW commander.

The colonel admitted forthright that he wanted the bragging rights for Team Dover. The Dover team agreed as applause, 'hoots' and 'hollers' proceeded to follow and last for minutes.

"The CINC Installation Excellence Award recognizes those who have most effectively used the resources they've been provided to advance the mission," said Colonel Harrison. "No military organization's mission is more important, no one conducts their mission more magnificently and no one makes more valuable use of the resources provided than you."

Nearly 400 Dover Airmen are currently deployed abroad in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Whether Dover Airmen are deployed or here, at home station, they are always at the forefront of the GWoT.

"Our Airmen are flying, maintaining, loading, and protecting the mobility missions that constitute the bulk of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom sorties," Colonel Harrison said. "Through the air, they provide whole blood to Marines in Afghanistan, rapid re-supply of ammunition to Soldiers in Iraq, life-sustaining supplies to coalition forces and life-saving medical evacuation to injured servicemembers wherever and whenever they call."

Surely the competition will be tough, said the colonel.

"You don't make it as a finalist if you are not on top of your game," Colonel Harrison said. "There are 117 world-wide Air Force wings and to make it the top two already speaks a great deal for both bases."

With closing remarks, the colonel also wished Hill AFB luck with their inspection.

The CINC IEA winner will be announced in the spring.