Elmendorf wins CINC Installation Excellence Award

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Christopher Gross
  • 3rd Wing Public Affairs
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  The anticipation is over. After nearly two months since Elmendorf was visited by a team of inspectors for the 2010 Commander-in-Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence, they have been announced as the best installation in the Air Force.

After being selected as a finalist along with Dover AFB, a team of inspectors paid a visit to Elmendorf Jan. 27-30. After leaving the base full of hard-working arctic warriors, they then moved on to inspect Dover in February.

When the team finished inspecting the bases they took their collected data and headed back to their headquarters in Washington D.C. After reviewing what they had seen on their trip they came to the conclusion that Elmendorf was indeed the most impressive base in the Air Force.

"We are all very excited to win this award," said Lt. Col. Michael Strunk, 3rd Mission Support Group deputy commander. "Elmendorf Air Force Base is a great place to live and work. The outstanding teamwork which exists promotes innovative and creative ways of enhancing base-level services, facilities and quality of life. There is a sincere sense of pride in being a part of the Arctic Warrior team."

The main focus behind this award is to identify the top installation of each service in the military. It shows the command at this installation has done the best job to complete the mission with what resources are available, and are coming up with better initiatives to enhance the quality of life for the Airmen that reside there. Along with winning the award comes $1 million which is to be used to fund quality of life programs.

"The men and women of Elmendorf Air Force Base are incredibly proud to receive this prestigious award," said Col. Thomas Bergeson, 3rd Wing commander. "We could not have won this without the outstanding support we receive from PACAF HQ, our major tenant units, and the great Alaskan community. This award reflects the superb efforts of almost 6000 Arctic Warrior Airmen and our TFI partners from the Alaska Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. Together we Fly, Fight and Win!"

The last time Elmendorf was honored with this award was in 1994. Some of the key reasons for Elmendorf winning this year's CINC included Elmendorf's impressive work environment, including flawless no-notice aircraft evacuation and the sustainment of Elmendorf's combat alert mission during 19 eruptions of Mount Redoubt.

Other accomplishments included the new Fit to Fight Cross Country Ski Program and the 3rd Medical Groups sleep disorder clinic which has currently completed 414 studies saving the government $1.6 million in seven months.

Not only is this good for Elmendorf, but also for Fort Richardson, their future partner. The two will become one when the 673rd Air Base Wing is activated July 30.The installation will then be called Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Winners from the other services included Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C., Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms in Twentynine Palms,Calif., Naval Base San Diego in San Diego and the Defense Distribution Depot Susquehanna in New Cumberland, Pa.

An awards ceremony honoring the recipients of this year's award will be held May 5 at the Pentagon.