Network 56 gets the gold: Base enlisted group earns presidential award

by Senior Airman Luis Loza Gutierrez
319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

10/26/2012 - GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D.  -- The Network 56 organization was presented the Presidential Volunteer Service Award (Gold Level) during an Oct. 12 ceremony at the Northern Lights club here.

Network 56 earned the gold level recognition thanks to 1,086 hours of community service. The group volunteered for 70 events from November 2011 to September 2012, generously helping charitable organizations and causes throughout the surrounding community, including Airmen Against Drunk Driving, Toys-for-Tots, Relay for Life, the Salvation Army and the North Country Food Bank in Crookston, Minn.

"Grand Forks Air Force Base has a long and proud tradition of volunteer service," said Chief Master Sgt. David Carlson,319th Air Base Wing's highest ranking enlisted service member. "This award is just further proof of the caliber of Airmen we have on this base."

The President's Volunteer Service Award recognizes individuals, families and groups that have achieved a certain standard - measured by the number of hours of service over a 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime.

"This award means a lot to the Network 56 members - it's truly an honor to receive such a prestigious award, because we accomplished this together," said Tech. Sgt. Byron Ball, Network 56 president. "The NCOs here have given a lot of their time to positively impact the community and we made history as the first to be presented this award at Grand Forks Air Force Base.

"We hope this award inspires all E-5 and E-6 private organizations across the Air Force to truly do things to make a difference in their communities and not just for an EPR (Enlisted Performance Report) bullet," Ball said. "Our motto is, 'NCOs Making A Difference,' and the Warriors of the North can say we did that."

Editor's note: Network 56 is a nonprofit professional military organization for enlisted service members in the pay grades of E-5 through E-6. For more information about the group and their community volunteer activities, visit their Facebook page.