Pittsburgh named best command installation

by Staff Sgt.Jonathan Hehnly
911th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

11/3/2014 - PITTSBURGH  -- Cheers erupted from the crowd as the 911th Airlift Wing commander delivered the news to more than 1,200 Airmen gathered for a commander's call Nov. 1.

Col. Jeffrey A. Van Dootingh enthusiastically announced that Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station was the Air Force Reserve Command's pick for the 2015 Commander-in-Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence.

"This is phenomenal," said Van Dootingh. "It's great to have the base and its outstanding Airmen get credit and recognition for what we knew all long. It takes a complete wing-wide effort to accomplish the mission."

The annual award recognizes the top five military installations that are the most effective at using their available resources to accomplish their mission and have demonstrated innovative progress in successful installation operations.

Every year, the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Defense Logistics Agency nominate their "best of the best" installation to be recognized by the president and the secretary of defense.

Pittsburgh ARS has represented the command four times in the Air Force competition. Pittsburgh competed against four other AFRC host installations and won $100,000.

Pittsburgh distinguished itself in each of the graded categories that measured installation management.efficiency and effectiveness. The award focused heavily on mission support group functions, encompassing 12 out of 18 graded categories.

"Reading through the award proposal I could not imagine anyone beating us," said Van Dootingh. "Every possible section was covered and the numbers were outstanding. The efficiencies that we gain here I think could be benchmarked throughout the Air Force."

The award proposal package highlighted the air reserve station's efficiency across all facets of the installation.

Setting itself apart from other installations, Pittsburgh ARS turns a profit for the Air Force through strategic partnerships with the community, to include a joint use agreement with Pittsburgh International Airport.

Construction of a new lodging and Navy facility won the installation Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold awards. Pittsburgh became a joint service installation with the construction of  the Navy Operational Support Center.

"We have so many accolades already from the past year that we have received, which made it relatively easy to put the package together and win," said Col. Stacey Scarisbrick, 911th Mission Support Group commander. "We won multiple AFRC awards and individual awards throughout the year."

Pittsburgh will now compete against active-duty bases for the distinction as the top Air Force installation and for the top prize of $1 million to be used for morale, welfare and recreation purposes.

Installation Excellence review committees will visit and inspect the top three installations.

"Competition is tough," said Van Dootingh. "We will be up against the best from each major command. I look at us as a David in comparison to some of the active-duty Goliaths. They have larger bases and a lot more resources, but as I recall David won in the end; so I think our chances are good."