21st FSS wins LeMay

Col. Patrick Dunn, Headquarters Air Force Services Agency director of services directorate, attempts to scale the climbing wall Jan. 23 at the Peterson Fitness and Sports Center, Building 560, while Airman 1st Class Casey Mann, fitness specialist, looks on. The 21st Force Support Squadron earned the prestigious Curtis E. LeMay Award, naming the squadron the best service organization in the Air Force, officials announced Feb. 23. Colonel Dunn and a six-member team visited the 21st Force Support Squadron programs before awarding the prestigious Curtis E. LeMay award for the best services organization. The Peterson Fitness and Sports Center is used by an average of 675,000 patrons every year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Robb Lingley)

21st FSS wins LeMay

Jane Marie Kopycinski, Arts and Crafts director, shows Col. Patrick Dunn, Headquarters Air Force Services Agency director of services operation directorate, around the framing shop Jan. 22 for the LeMay evaluation team visit. The 21st Force Support Squadron earned the prestigious Curtis E. LeMay Award, naming the squadron the best service organization in the Air Force, officials announced Feb. 23. The Curtis E. LeMay award is given annually to the best services organization at a base with at least 6,000 personnel. (U.S. Air Force photo/Robb Lingley)

21st FSS wins LeMay

Lt. Col. John Silverman, 21st Force Support Squadron commander, left, and Col. Emily Buckman, 21st Mission Support Group commander, right, meet Col. Patrick Dunn, Headquarters Air Force Services Agency director of services operation directorate, center, at the Colorado Springs Airport Jan. 21. The 21st Force Support Squadron earned the prestigious Curtis E. LeMay Award, naming the squadron the best service organization in the Air Force, officials announced Feb. 23. Colonel Dunn and a six-member evaluation team reviewed all 21st Force Support Squadron services programs that decided the Curtis E. LeMay award. (U.S. Air Force photo/Robb Lingley)

21st FSS named best in Air Force

Published March 3, 2010
By Monica Mendoza
21st Space Wing Public Affairs staff writer

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The 21st Force Support Squadron earned the prestigious Curtis E. LeMay Award, naming the squadron the best service organization in the Air Force, officials announced Feb. 23.

"I feel like we won a gold medal or the Oscar - that's what it means for our career field," said Dan Schofield, 21st FSS deputy director.

The LeMay award is given to the best services organization at a base with at least 6,000 personnel. Lt. Col. John Silverman, 21st FSS commander, Mr. Schofield and other members of the FSS team will attend the Worldwide Force Support conference March 8 to 11 in San Antonio, Texas, to receive the award.

"I was just elated that the squadron was recognized with this award," said David Duke, Manpower and Organization Section chief. "A lot of hard work went into it."

A six-member evaluation team, headed by Col. Patrick Dunn, Headquarters Air Force Services Agency director of services operation directorate, visited 21st FSS programs Jan. 21 to 24. Programs were presented to the evaluation team under the theme, "We Are Family." The evaluation team saw everything from the Aquatic Center to the Auto Hobby Shop. While on base, LeMay evaluation team members gave Team Pete high praise.

"The 'We Are Family' mantra really is alive here, you can tell," Colonel Dunn said.

Before the LeMay evaluation team gave FSS the thumbs-up, FSS team members heard from customers that they were doing a great job. Last year, a customer service survey of randomly selected personnel and dependents gave Peterson services programs more than a 90 percent approval rating.

Winning the LeMay award is especially meaningful because it has only been one year since mission support merged with services on Peterson to become the unified Force Support Squadron, Mr. Duke said. The award validates the seamless merger of large organizations responsible for many programs.

"It shows that we are a premier Air Force base installation and that the quality of life for our people - the customer service for our people - is important to us, not just traditional services programs but all mission support programs," he said.