We are Family: Absolute success for Team Pete Published Feb. 8, 2010 By Col. Emily Buckman 21st Mission Support Group commander PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Armed with a purpose to appraise "the product as opposed to the package," the 2009 USAF LeMay Evaluation Team visited with its sights set on immediate target acquisition, and left Peterson AFB with a plan - to send an Air Force-level team of experts back to Peterson to use our day-to-day management systems as a benchmark for all of the Air Force. During the out-brief, Col. Pat Dunn, chief of the LeMay team, presented 26 individual and six team awards, then topped it off with a "first-ever" flight award given to the Manpower and Personnel Flight. "Some of the best programs I have seen in my entire career," was one of the scores of affirmation he used to describe just how impressed he was with the Airmen in this flight. While the support squadron undeniably demonstrated just how much force it packed in its punch, none of this would be possible without the 21st Space Wing leadership, 21st Operations Group, 21st Medical Group, 721st Mission Support Group, the HQ AFSPC/A1 team, the entire 21st MSG team, and all of our mission partners who gave us incredible support throughout 2009, culminating with the LeMay team visit. So, whether you completed the customer service survey in December, attended the ice breaker, in-brief, out-brief or weekend demos, greeted the team alongside Peterson Avenue, helped create and support the in-brief video, provided civil engineer or security forces support or, most importantly, used one of our services in the past year, we salute you. Should the FSS be awarded the honor of being named the 2009 USAF LeMay recipient, this will be a win for you, because of you. Each and every one of you made this not-so-instantaneous vision of family an illustrated reality and, for that, I sincerely thank you all! I'd also like take this opportunity to highlight this year's SnoFest at Keystone resort; another phenomenal display of family fun and extraordinary service. Each year, military installations along the Front Range of Colorado and Wyoming join forces to organize and hold the annual SnoFest event. With roughly 3,000 people in attendance, the 21st FSS hosted numerous venues, including a wide range of sporting activities coupled with evening parties like "Casino Night" that boasted more than 1,600 in attendance. In addition, the highly anticipated "Cardboard Derby" was once again packed with creative entries that brought smiles to even the toughest faces. This year's event was an obvious culmination of hours of preparation and teamwork, and I would like to note the numerous contributions made by our sponsors. It has been said before that a leader is not recognized for individual performance, but only when the team accomplishes the mission -- the 21st FSS did just that. And lastly, as I leave command next month and head to Combat Skills Training and eventually Afghanistan for a year, I want to thank Team Pete for allowing me to serve you as the commander of the 21st Mission Support Group for the last 20 months. Although I'll be gone, I know 2,200 men and women in the 21st MSG will continue to support you with all their might. As many of you know, our chant for the group is "MSG, Heartbeat of Team Pete." Without Team Pete, we would not have a mission. From our extremely professional friends in the medical group, to our technically savvy space leaders in the 21st OG, to our amazing operational GSUs and installations around the world, to our critically important mission partners around the base, from 21st Communications Squadron who kept you connected, to 21st CES who made sure you had heat and air and put out fires, to 21st CONS who bought your resources, to 21st SFS who kept us all safe, to 21st LRS who sent off the Front Range to the AOR, and finally to 21st FSS who ensured most of our quality of life needs were met -- you all have defined this exceptional team...this exceptional mission. We have all served with integrity and pride and I know you will keep on keeping on! May God continue to bless you and especially our Airmen in harm's way.