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Pope AFB clinches AMC Installation Excellence Award

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Stacia Zachary
  • 43rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. (AMCNS) --  Pope Air Force Base was crowned Air Mobility Command’s Installation Excellence Award winner Oct. 17, beating out Charleston AFB, S.C., and Travis AFB, Calif., for top honors in AMC.

As the winner, the base will now move on to compete against other major command winners for the 2006 Air Force IE Award.

In preparation for the initial inspection, Pope AFB put its wares and pride for the base on display, giving AMC inspectors an in-depth look at Team Pope and the mission here. This is the second year AMC has stepped up the selection of its top three bases by not only reviewing submitted packages, but by visiting the bases and getting a first-hand look of what the bases have to offer.

“Pope may be a small base, but from what I see, it has a lot to offer,” said Colonel James Kolling, chief AMC inspector. “When we come out to the bases, we look for how well the wing and base at large provide for the people and get the mission completed. It’s not a matter of how much you have. We want to see whether pride is on display — both in what you do and what you’re a part of. [Pope] seems to have this in abundance.”

It turns out, Pope not only achieved the most while working with what it has, but also captivated the inspectors’ attention with its unique "pride of the force" mentality.

Col. Darren McDew, 43rd Airlift Wing commander, supported this observation.

“You can’t really match Pope up with some of the other MAJCOM bases. If you look at these larger, well-maintained bases ... they are the showcases of their commands. While Pope is well preserved,” said the commander. “But I’ll tell you, I’ll match our people against anybody, anywhere. We have the best people I’ve ever seen doing innovative things, being great stewards of the taxpayers’ money, and doing things that further the cause of their jobs in the most productive and efficient ways. What a great mixture of folks — I’ll take that anywhere.”

The Installation Excellence Award program was established 21 years ago to recognize the outstanding efforts by people in each service who operate and maintain U.S. military installations and assets worldwide.

And even if an Air Force win isn’t in the future for Pope AFB, the base has already won the competition in the eyes of its commander.

“It’s pretty significant to be the top of 12; 12 pretty good bases,” said Colonel McDew. “I almost want to tell Pope ‘I told you so.’ When I got here I said ‘I believe in them more than they believe in themselves.’ Now the rest of the Air Force does, too. It’s my charge to take care of the people by continuing to force us to go after the recognition they've earned."