CES takes two AETC awards

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Monique Randolph
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
ALTUS AFB, Okla. --  The 97th Civil Engineer Squadron was recently awarded two 2006 Air Education and Training Command awards: Outstanding Civil Engineer Unit, Small Unit category; and the Colonel Frederick J. Riemer Award for the Readiness Flight. 

The civil engineers will now compete at the Air Force level for both awards.
Outstanding Unit Award: 

The Air Force Outstanding Civil Engineer Unit Award recognizes exemplary performance in the areas of expeditionary and installation engineering, environmental leadership, housing excellence, emergency services and exemplary achievements.
 
"This award is recognition from AETC telling the world that our civilian and military members are the best in this command, and we are eligible for competition to be the best civil engineers in the Air Force for a base of our size," said Lt. Col. Neil Wentz, 97th CES commander. 

"Our members worked extremely hard over the past years making Altus Air Force Base facilities and infrastructure world class and the base of choice for AETC. Our heads are held up a little higher and we walk a little straighter than before, but we have many things left to do. This CE business never ends." 

The 97th CES motto is, "It just wouldn't be without CE," Colonel Wentz said.
"We joke around about our motto, but on the serious side, it's very true," he said. "We would not have planes flying and students training without CE keeping the runway in working order and the facilities livable and safe. 

"Our mission statement brings it home by stating '...live, play and work...' We want all our facilities and infrastructure at the highest standards to live in, play in and work in," he said. 

Colonel Frederick J. Riemer Award: 

This annual award recognizes the readiness flight that demonstrates exemplary performance in support of the engineer readiness mission based on training, inspections, self improvement, contingency response and exercises. 

"The young men and women led by a seasoned readiness veteran has a mission requirement mandatory to support the wing," Colonel Wentz said. "Disaster preparedness training for wing personnel, chemical warfare training, mobility training and weapons of mass destruction train-ing all come out of the Readiness Flight. Readiness prepares base personnel to sustain no matter what comes. No one is better at doing what they do than our Readiness Flight according to AETC -- I agree with them." 

"People in this office don't just do their jobs, they support the squadron and the local community," said Milton Chorn, chief of the Readiness Flight. "In my 20 years in the military and 23 years in civil service, I've never worked with a better team. They're just fantastic. 

"They're all young, energetic people, and it shows. Their initiative, knowledge and team work ethic has brought us where we are today," he said. "Winning this award means someone else has recognized the efforts of this team."