Volk Field receives second straight Air Force excellence award

By Tech. Sgt. Jon LaDue
Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs Office

Air Force officials recently announced the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center as one of eight units nation-wide to earn the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award (AFOEA).

This is the second consecutive AFOEA for the CRTC and the fourth in unit history.

"Having the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center announced as a recipient of the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award is a worthy tribute to the dedicated Airmen and civilians that are giving their very best effort each and every day," said Col. Gary Ebben, Volk Field commander.

Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar, adjutant general of Wisconsin, expressed his gratitude for those efforts.

"I couldn't be prouder of the men and women of Volk Field," Dunbar said. "Their contributions to the 'Total Force' and 'Joint Training' concepts serves as a force multiplier. The CRTC at Volk Field has an enduring legacy of excellence – this is the latest chapter."

This AFOEA recognizes the CRTC for meritorious service from Oct 2009 through September 2011.

And deservedly so – the CRTC hosted training for 475 units - encompassing Army and Air National Guard, Air Force and Air Force reserve, and non-Department of Defense units. Volk Field also hosted numerous multi-agency, large scale exercises, including Patriot, Northern Lightning and the international NATO exercise Ramstein Rover.

Volk Field host one of the only Air National Guard bases that maintains its own airfield and control tower. This allowed the CRTC to schedule and monitor more than 4,500 sorties in over 12,000 square miles of Special Use Airspace over central Wisconsin.

In a memorandum announcing the awardees, Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, director, Air National Guard, spoke to the meritorious service of each of the eight units.

"The dedication and commitment of the members of these organizations enable the Air National Guard to fulfill its commitment to the missions of peacekeeping, humanitarian relief, domestic improvement, and most important of all – Defense of America," Wyatt said.

The AFOEA is awarded to units who are unique, unnumbered organizations that operate or perform missions like a numbered unit would Volk Field won the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award in 2007 but National Guard Bureau determined the CRTC was more appropriately placed in the AFOEA category.

"The track record of accomplishments doesn’t just happen ... it is built with hard work," Ebben said. "These professionals are as fine a group as I have ever had the pleasure to work with in my career. "