Altus wins $1 million in AETC competition

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Clinton Atkins
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  The 97th Air Mobility Wing placed second in the Air Education and Training Command Energy Incentive competition Aug. 25.

The wing received $1 million for its energy conservation effort, which will be spent on high priority quality of life initiatives on base. Vance Air Force Base, Okla., won $1.5 million for first place. Altus barely missed first place by less than two-tenths of a percent.

"(Winning the $1 million) really was a wing-wide effort," said Lt. Col. David Vaughn, 97th Civil Engineering Squadron commander. "Senior leadership, facility managers and energy manager really set the tone on how we were going to attack this. Everyone was coming up with good ideas to save energy."

Peter Ho, Pepito Castellanos and 2nd Lt. Josh Carroll comprised the energy management team and led the 97 AMW to its second place finish by maintaining awareness and producing energy saving ideas. With the team's help the 97 AMW came up with ideas such as motion detector light switches, temperature set point for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, lower wattage lighting and turning off unused lights and monitors.

Over the course of the competition, July 2008 to June 2009, Altus reduced its energy intensity by 13.3 percent, said Colonel Vaughn.

"It's a very impressive feat to reduce your energy intensity by 13.3 percent," said Mr. Ho. "It's gratifying to know everyone's hard work has paid off."

Altus servicemembers and their families will get to see the fruits of their labor because the $1 million will be spent on quality of life projects around the base, said Colonel Vaughn.

"We're going to give (the money) back to the Airmen who made it all happen," he said.

The money will be used to improve the Wings of Freedom Park as well as to procure new seats and carpeting for the Base Theater.

Altus isn't the only winner in a competition of energy conservation - the entire Air Force wins.

"When you motivate Airmen through spirited competition there is no limit to the possibilities," said Col. Ty Thomas, 97 AMW commander. "Through hard work and successful innovation, we've been able to save energy which helps everyone. We plan to do even better next year."  

AETC is holding the competition again and the winners will be announced next year.