Peterson CE squadron named best in Air Force

Published Jan. 15, 2008
By Senior Airman Stephen Collier
21st Space Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The men and women of the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron have one more thing to tack on to their lineage - being named the best civil engineer outfit in the Air Force for 2007.

The award, known as the Maj Gen. Robert H. Curtin award for best CE squadron, small unit category, caps what many in the squadron are calling a "truly eventful year."

"To be honest, the first thing I said ... was "NO WAY! NO WAY! YES!" Lt. Col. Derrek Sanks, 21st CES commander recalled. "This is a tremendous accomplishment and a proud moment for every member of 21st CES. I remember talking about this award at a commander's call last year. I said with all the great accomplishments we have every day and the hard work we do, there's no reason we should not win the (Air Force Space Command) Outstanding CE Unit award. Winning at the AF level is the icing on the cake."

The squadron lays claim to many new projects, which clearly propelled them over its competition at the headquarters Air Force level. These include a new, $34 million base exchange/commissary complex, $12.7 million West Gate project on Peterson and a $19.5 million dormitory at Clear Air Force Station, Alaska.

But while base construction back in the continental United States is important, it's the contributions of the squadron's warfighters that attract attention. Members of the 21st CES explosive ordnance flight were awarded a total of four bronze stars for duty in both Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom that included the neutralizing of 200 improvised explosive devices, or 'IEDs,' as well as destroying 700,000 unexploded ordnance that totaled more than 1 million pounds of explosives.

EOD members performing action in Afghanistan were recognized for their bravery. While on a mission to diffuse what was called a roadside bomb, the team's convoy came under attack from 73 Taliban fighters, outnumbering the coalition contingent two-to-one. After focusing on the disposal of the IED, the Airmen joined the firefight. The result was 71 enemy killed in action, while two enemy personnel were taken as prisoners of war.

"I was speechless after I was notified of the award," said Chief Master Sgt. Lewis Weaver, 21st CES chief enlisted manager. "This is the first time in my 24-year career that I've been fortunate enough to be in a squadron proven to be the number one civil engineer unit in the Air Force. What makes this award truly unique is our global commitment. We not only trained and provided engineers for OIF and OEF, but even with that loss in manpower, our civilian work force, and remaining bluesuitors maintained and supported Peterson's mission, including 21 geographically separated units throughout the world. No other civil engineer unit in the Air Force has this scope of responsibility. Looking back at our accomplishments in 2007 and the people that made this award possible, I know we were the obvious choice."

The CE squadron also paved the way for the future with the advent of privatized housing on the installation. As part of Peterson's Blueprint 2050, the squadron developed a close partnership with Actus Lend Lease and Tierra Vista Communities. After a projected six years of construction and finalization, Airmen and their families stationed at both Peterson and Schriever AFB can look forward to 597 new homes and a community center, together with the renovation of 55 existing homes.

Emergency responders from the squadron also stood out from their competition in the area of support rendered to local authorities. When wild fires threatened local Ellicott, Colo., 21st CES firefighters answered the call for additional support, suppressing the fires before they could continue to scorch the local landscape. Closer to the base, firefighters also responded to the flightline to put out a blaze on the tarmac. And across the base, EOD members supported local bomb squad officials after a bomb threat was called into the Colorado Spring airport.

In a commentary written to highlight the squadron's accomplishments, Col. Jay Raymond, 21st Space Wing commander, emphasized the CE unit's "the hard work and dedication the men and women of 21st CES have demonstrated over the past year."

"The 21st Civil Engineer Squadron made a significant contribution throughout 2007 in the wing's ability to provide unsurpassed installation support," Colonel Raymond wrote. He continued, adding, "their motto, 'Proud to serve, ready to fight,' is clearly evident in all they accomplished last year and continue to accomplish [into 2008]."

21st Civil Engineer Squadron named best in AF