Protocol office receives George Washington Award

Published May 6, 2011
By Airman 1st Class Jessica Hines
21st Space Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The 21st Space Wing Protocol Office on Peterson Air Force Base received the Air Force-level 2010 George Washington Award for Protocol Excellence.

The George Washington Award recognizes the best services, personnel functions and units throughout the Air Force.

"These professionals are constantly on the go, handling a great number of base and military events, distinguished visitors, and other routine protocol activities," said Col. Stephen N. Whiting, 21st Space Wing commander.

"Every task is completed with consummate professionalism, and the Air Force-level recognition is well deserved," he added.

Among the many accomplishments of the six-person team include executing support for more than 240 events and 685 distinguished visitor flights to the base, including the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Air Force, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and delegations from Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Romania and Korea.

The protocol office has worked hard to create new products used by other protocol offices and clients to include more than 80 templates, checklists and tools available on their intranet site. Their e-invite process alone saved nearly $100,000 in supply and production costs of regular invites. The 21st SW Protocol Office also developed a training guide and provided system improvement ideas to the Air Force Institute of Technology, the creators of the system.

Over the course of the year, the protocol office developed a training guide for receiving fallen warriors on the flightline and provided training to 23 area protocol officers. They facilitated the arrival of four fallen heroes to the terminal at Peterson AFB and were commended by family members and leaders for their dignified reception and care.

"This (award) wouldn't have been possible without the outstanding support of our leadership and the tremendous collaboration of our action officers and the other area protocol office," said Ken Friesz, 21st SW chief of protocol.

This is the second GW Award for the Peterson Protocol Office in the past five years on Peterson AFB.