Pacific Air Forces wins highest AF safety award

by Master Sgt. Matthew McGovern
Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs

2/27/2013 - Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii -- Pacific Air Forces earned the Secretary of the Air Force Safety Award, Feb. 12, recognizing the most effective safety program in the Air Force for fiscal year 2012.

"Receiving this top safety award is a testament to our professional Airmen, both on and off duty," said Lt. Gen. Stanley Kresge, PACAF vice commander.

Air Force Safety Award Board officials made their selection for the Air Force's highest safety accolade based on the effectiveness of the safety programs of major commands, direct reporting units, and field operating agencies. Pacific Air Forces Airmen demonstrated this with the lowest mishap rates the command has seen in ten years.

"I am extremely pleased that the Airmen of this command are being recognized at the Air Force level," said Col. Robert Jones, PACAF safety director. "It is through their commitment to safe operations that PACAF won this award."

Pacific Air Forces' safety statistics for 2012 included a ground safety mishap reduction of 25 percent, a mishap costs reduction of 21 percent, and a lost duty day decrease of 26 percent.

"Commanders and supervisors at all levels incorporated safety principles into their plans and programs and ensured the application of sound risk management while accomplishing our goals and objectives," Jones said. "Our leaders emphasized the tenants of Commander's focus, supervisor involvement and individual responsibility to energize mishap prevention
efforts."

Proactive safety initiatives in aviation also led to historic minimums and zero fatalities. Class B mishaps, or damage to assets from $500 thousand to 2 million, were at their lowest level in ten years, while class C mishaps, or damage to assets from $500 to $50 thousand, were at their lowest in five years.

Pacific Air Forces has approximately 45,000 military and civilian personnel serving in nine strategic locations and numerous smaller facilities, primarily in Hawaii, Alaska, Japan, Guam and the Republic of Korea. Approximately 340 fighter and attack aircraft are assigned to the command with approximately 100 additional deployed aircraft stationed rotationally on Guam.