D-M wins Installation Excellence Award at ACC level

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Michael Washburn
  • 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  D-M was recently named winner of the 2012 Commander in Chief's Annual Installation Excellence Award at the Air Combat Command level for the period of Oct. 1, 2010 through Sept. 30, 2011.

The award recognizes the outstanding and innovative efforts of the people who operate and maintain U.S. military installations.

"It's D-M's Airmen - enlisted, officer, and civilian - that have resulted in this well deserved and hard-earned recognition," said 355th Fighter Wing Command Chief Master Sgt. Vincent Howard. "Back in January, our installation commander told a theater full of Airmen that we were playing on the A-Team. But (Colonel Cherrey) also said that, 'We cannot be complacent. We need to be continuously challenging ourselves.' Our collective performance has validated those lofty expectations. We should be proud of ourselves on this accomplishment. I have no doubt that the best is yet to come."

D-M's award package had more than 150 accomplishments from every unit and directorate of the wing. Some of the accomplishments are:

· D-M's robust volunteer program rallied 1,500 workers who volunteered for a collective 80,000 hours saving the Air Force and local community $1.6 million.

· Unrelenting 24 hours a day, seven day a week combat operation in support of overseas contingency operations. More than 3,000 alert hours and 140 missions resulted in 387 enemy forces and 157 high value targets either captured or killed, which crippled anti-coalition forces.

· D-M won the 2011 Air Force Innkeeper award. D-M has won the award six out of the last eight years.

Since D-M won at ACC level, the installation will move up to compete at the Air Force level. Air Force winners of the Installation Excellence Award receive a $1 million prize for their base. Included along with the prize money, the winning base also receives a trophy, an "Installation Excellence" flag and a letter signed by President Barack Obama.

"Congratulations to each and every one of you," said Col. John Cherrey, 355th FW commander. "I have never been more proud to be part of the Desert Lightning Team. Now we compete at Air Force level where we will be successful, and represent the best the Air Force has to offer."