JBER Inspector General Office garners Air Force award

  • Published
  • By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Larlee
  • JBER PAO
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  An office integral to the smooth operation of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson's mission was recently recognized as the best of its kind in the Air Force for 2010.
The 673d Air Base Wing Inspector General's office garnered the John P. Flynn Inspector General Award.

Steve Wisniewski, deputy inspector general, said he was at the IG worldwide conference when he learned that his office had earned the award. He said it was a great feeling to see his office earn the award for the first time.

"It was awesome to find that out surrounded by my peers in my field," he said. "We have been working hard and it was gratifying to get the recognition."

The Inspector General office plays a vital role in the JBER mission.

The mission of the Inspector General's office is to enhance mission accomplishment of JBER units and organizations by identifying and recommending solutions to performance inhibitors and resolving requests for assistance from military, family members and civilians of JBER.

"We are the eyes and ears of the wing commander," said Wisniewski. "If there is something going on that we can help with, we immediately pitch in and try to help fix the problem."

A lot of the office's work involves paying attention to what is going on in the JBER community.

"We pay close attention to any trends that are going on," said Wisniewski. "As soon as we see a common problem we try to get ahead of it as soon as we can and educate the masses in how to best handle."

Matthew Taylor, inspector general superintendent, said his team's prime focus is keeping Airman ready for missions.

"The IG is very important to the overall Air Force mission because our Airmen and their families need to be able to focus on their mission, their families, and their quality of life," Taylor said. "If someone is frustrated because of some unresolved issue, they are not giving their full attention to the task at hand. The IG is a source that can help alleviate that concern and provide timely resolution."

Wisniewski said his office attacks this mission proactively by focusing on training. He said his office briefs at Airman Leadership School, the NCO Academy, newcomer briefings and all new commanders to ensure leaders at all levels have the tools to stay out of trouble.

"We like to keep problems limited to molehills instead of letting them develop into mountains," Wisniewski said. "If we teach folks very clearly what the rules are they can avoid the trap of doing something wrong."

Taylor said his office sees a wide range of issues on a daily basis, but his office is up to the challenge.

"We work great together and our diverse backgrounds are helpful in case analysis," he said. "We bounce things off one another, review each case independently and then come together collectively to review each case and ensure we haven't missed anything or provide a different view or perspective to the lead. It's great having such a dynamic and diverse group."

Taylor said it is a great feeling to see that all of the hard work led to an award.

"It's a great accomplishment to win any Air Force level award," he said. "It is an honor to be recognized for your efforts and to be part of such a great organization. We take pride in what we do and know our role is important."