Holloman earns finest in ACC

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Heather Stanton
  • 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Holloman Air Force Base was awarded $100,000 as the winner of the Installation Excellence Award for Air Combat Command. 

Holloman will represent ACC in the Air Force level award to compete for $1 million to be used for quality of life initiatives. 

Nominees for the award were those that introduced innovative programs that help create and sustain excellent base operations. These programs had to improve the installation's work environment or physical plant; improved quality of life; enhanced productivity of the work force; increased customer satisfaction or improved customer service; encouraged bottom-to-top communication and team problem solving; promoted unit cohesiveness and recognized outstanding individual efforts; as well as set new standards for energy conservation and environmental safety to include compliance, remediation and stewardship. 

Some qualities Holloman brought to the table were the best community relationship in the Air Force to include the Friendliest Place on Earth campaign and a 20-year construction and base layout vision guiding future improvements. 

Also, all the awards Holloman has earned had a play in the award. Holloman earned the number one education center in ACC with most Community College of the Air Force degrees earned in the command as well as the 49th Contracting Squadron earning a federal achievement award. The base also did extremely well in inspections earning a 98 percent compliance in a recent Unit Compliance Inspection and the highest Health Services Inspection rating in ACC. 

Holloman started many quality of life initiatives that garnered high praise from the command. 

The recent enlisted and officer club renovations; a 24-hour Airman's activity center and Airmen's sport park, along with a top-notch sports and recreation program; the new Adopt an Airman program which links new Airmen with families in the community; a POW/MIA heritage room in the Shifting Sands dining facility and the recent quality of life initiative of Explore the Friendliest Place on Earth where Airmen received base passes to explore local recreation were key to solidifying Holloman's dominance.

The award also recognized many ACC-firsts Holloman took in to include a new fire station designed to have an emergency operations center and 911 call center combined; an internet café in the dining facility offering wireless connectivity; and a customer college to teach Airmen the basics in customer service. 

Not only did the AFSO 21 (Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century) from the 49th Maintenance Group gain attention, but the 49th Civil Engineer Squadron work orders were cut to two-day and a physical health assessment from the 49th Medial Group has been cut from four hours to one hour. 

Holloman also celebrated Air Force and Airmen's success with monthly warrior calls and quarterly chapel warrior appreciation events such as Air and Space Expeditionary Force cycle sendoffs and welcome homes. 

Air Combat Command has submitted Holloman to compete among other major commands for the $1 million award. Previous winning bases have used the money to help promote quality of life initiatives that greatly enhance experiences at the base for Airmen and their families.