by Staff Sgt. Brian Stives
Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs
12/5/2011 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. (AFNS) -- Air Force Global Strike Command is the winner of the General Wilbur L. Creech Maintenance Excellence Award for 2011, Air Force officials announced last week.
The Creech Award is named for Gen. Wilbur L. Creech, who received his commission and wings in 1949. He commanded at the wing and major command levels and was the commander of Tactical Air Command. During his career, he flew 103 combat missions during the Korean War, 177 combat missions during Vietnam and 125 flights with the U.S. Air Force Aerial Demonstration Team, the Thunderbirds. In total, Creech flew 40 different military fighter, cargo and reconnaissance aircraft. He died in 2003.
This award is presented to the major command that demonstrates the most improved performance in aircraft maintenance and logistics readiness in a given fiscal year.
"Our command's selection for this prestigious award is due to the level of excellence demonstrated by our maintainers and logisticians in the field," said Ann Mitchell, the Air Force Global Strike Command Director of Installations, Logistics and Mission Support. "They've earned this top honor for their hard work and dedication to the mission."
Lt. Gen. Loren M. Reno, the Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, congratulated the Airmen for performing superbly throughout a year marked with organizational change and fiscal challenges.
"The remarkable efforts, exemplary dedication and tremendous accomplishments of our maintainers continue to set new standards for excellence," the general said in a letter to Airmen. He also recognized the exemplary cannibalization rates for the B-2 Spirit and B-52H Stratofortress.
The command's selection for this award and its recent assumption of the munitions squadrons highlight the progression of the command and its role in continuing to strengthen the nuclear enterprise, Mitchell siad.
The award embodies what General Creech believed in and the importance of the logistics and maintenance career fields, said Col. Clifford Stansell, the Air Force Global Strike Command deputy director of installations and maintenance. "This is an honor for the logisticians and maintainers in our command."
The award will be presented to the command during the Air Force's annual awards banquet in 2012.
