Sabers hard work pays off during UCI

Published March 3, 2009
By Staff Sgt. Tammie Moore
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- The U.S. Air Forces in Europe Inspector General Team worked hard to test the daily operations and programs of the 52nd Fighter Wing during the first phase of the base's Unit Compliance Inspection here from Feb. 22 through 27.

After intensely studying Sabers during the first phase of the base's inspection, the wing is standing on firm ground with two outstandings, 11 excellents, 14 satisfactory and zero marginal or unsatisfactory ratings.

This showing is one that Col. Lee T. Wight, 52nd FW commander, is proud of.

"This fall if we would have taken a guess about what we thought we would get on a UCI, just passing would have been a real challenge," the commander said. "But to pass with flying colors and to see so many excellent and outstandings -- that is truly taking it to the next level.

"If you were wondering why we put the extra effort in, why we worked so hard -- we are the world's primer air and cyber space force -- we did not get that way by being good enough, we got that way by being better than anybody," Colonel Wight said. "That is the point; you have shown you can do that."

The USAFE UCI team briefed the base's phase one results, to an audience that packed the base theater, March 2 highlighting the accomplishments of the wing and attached geographically separated units. The USAFE IG team recognized 52 Sabers with their USAFE IG's Pat on the Back Awards and 31 individuals and teams earned Awards of Excellence.

"It is great to have a chance to recognize all of the people who went the extra mile in this inspection," said Col. Robert Suminsby, USAFE IG. "The bar is set very high for the awards of excellence and the pat on the back. There are a lot of people who are doing absolutely outstanding work."

The unit inspections did not only identify outstanding practices and people the UCI team also found areas needing improvement.

"There are always things that are broken," Colonel Suminsby said. "There is no such thing as a prefect organization. There is always something that needs to be fixed. I can tell you from your bosses perspective, because I have sat in his shoes before. (He) is not concerned about the fact there are problems, there are always problems. What he is concerned about is how do you fix them so that it is succinct. The question to ask yourself is 'how do we fix it so that it will stay fixed when you are gone,' so that six years down the road that program is still functioning and doing what it is supposed to do. That is the real challenge."

As the 702nd Munitions Support Squadron and 52nd Maintenance Group ramp up for their pending UCI inspections and the wing heads toward a number of additional inspections in the coming months Colonel Wight reminds everyone they should maintain their focus.

"Don't let up and don't let it fall off," he said. "We have a lot more work; this is the summer of inspections. The good thing is you guys know how to do it -- this is how it is done. Keep it up. I cannot express how proud I am of all of the work we did in a short time.

"This is what it feels like to be part of a winning team," Colonel Wight said. "I can't tell you how proud I am of each and every one of you for pulling together from saluting to wearing your uniform right to having your programs nailed inside and out -- very, very well done."

The wing's final grade will be determined after the phase two of the inspection is completed in June.

The UCI IG team gave base agencies the following ratings:

Unit Scores
Wing Staff Agencies overall Excellent
Chaplain - Excellent
Command Post- Satisfactory
Historian - Satisfactory
Inspector General - Outstanding
Operations Security - Excellent
Plans and Programs- Satisfactory
Safety- Excellent
Staff Judge Advocate - Excellent
52nd Comptroller Squadron overall Excellent
52nd Operations Group overall Excellent
52nd Operations Support Squadron- Outstanding
22nd Fighter Squadron - Excellent
23rd Fighter Squadron - Satisfactory
81st Fighter Squadron - Excellent
606th Air Control Squadron - Satisfactory
Detachment 1 - Satisfactory
52nd Mission Support Group overall Excellent
52nd Civil Engineer Squadron - Excellent
52nd Communication Squadron - Satisfactory
52nd Contracting Squadron - Satisfactory
52nd Force Support Squadron - Excellent
52nd Security Force Squadron - Excellent
52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron - Satisfactory
470th Air Base Squadron - Satisfactory
52nd Medical Group overall Satisfactory
52nd Munitions Maintenance Group to be determined
Staff - Excellent
701st Munitions Support Squadron - Satisfactory
703rd Munitions Support Squadron - Satisfactory
704th Munitions Support Squadron - Satisfactory

Congratulations to the following Sabers and offices who were recognized for outstanding performance by the UCI IG team:

Awards of excellence
Chaplain (Maj.) David Buttrick, 470th Air Base Squadron;
Maj. Robert Raymond, 52nd OSS;
Capt. Elizabeth Barber, 52nd FSS;
Capt. Richard Barnhart, 52nd CONS;
Capt. Matthew Welling, 52nd CES;
Master Sgt. Kenneth Gavin, 52nd CS;
Master Sgt. Fredrick Spano, 52nd SFS;
Tech. Sgt. Scott Morris, 704th MUNSS;
Tech. Sgt. Erich Reichley, 52nd OSS;
Staff Sgt. Henry Medina, 703rd MUNSS;
Staff Sgt. Pablo Perez-Gonzalez, 703rd MUNSS;
Senior Airman Rebecca Pecina, 470th ABS;
Melanie Gibson, 52nd CPTS;
Mary Wilt, 470th ABS;
Dan Henderson, 52nd FSS;
Manfred Schroeder, 52nd CS;
Christel Schumacher, 52nd FSS;
470th Security Forces Squadron;
470th ABS Commander's Support Staff;
Host Aviation Resource Management Office, 470th ABS;
Airman & Family Readiness Center, 52nd FSS;
Eifel Arms Lodging, 52nd FSS;
Fitness Center, 52nd FSS;
Inspector General Office;
Intelligence Flight, 52nd OSS;
Limburg Dining Facility Team, 701st MUNSS;
Military Working Dog, 52nd SFS;
Non-US Human Resources Team, 52nd FSS;
Quality Assurance, 52nd CS;
Postal Operations, 52nd FSS and
Weapons Safety; 52nd FW

Pat on the Back Awards
Master Sgt. Vaness Hall, 52nd FSS;
Master Sgt. Kimberly Tobiere, 470th ABS;
Master Sgt. Jeremy Raymond, 52nd OSS;
Tech. Sgt. Kerri Bjorkholm, 52nd OSS;
Tech. Sgt. Joseph Blinn, 52nd CES;
Tech. Sgt. Micahel Brancato, 52nd LRS;
Tech. Sgt. Phillip Cahs, 52nd LRS;
Tech. Sgt.Faye Craigmile, 52nd CES;
Tech. Sgt. Joanna Kaiser, 52nd FW;
Tech. Sgt. Notley Reavis IV, 52nd SFS;
Tech. Sgt. Stevie Swanigan, 52nd OSS;
Tech. Sgt. Steven Thomas, 52nd LRS;
Tech. Sgt. Thomas Tormey, 52nd CES;
Tech. Sgt. Thomas Wagner, 52nd FW;
Tech. Sgt. Ryan Ziemer, 704th MUNSS;
Tech. Sgt. Donny Barton, 470th ABS;
Staff Sgt. Ryan Bond, 52nd CPTS;
Staff Sgt. Shane Brown, 703rd MUNSS;
Staff Sgt. Clive Clark, 52nd LRS;
Staff Sgt. Dorothy Diego, 704th MUNSS;
Staff Sgt. Jason Martin, 704th MUNSS;
Staff Sgt. Justin Priest, 704th MUNSS;
Staff Sgt. Ryan Radunzell, 52nd SFS;
Staff Sgt. Greg Sears, 701st MUNSS;
Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Spradely, 52nd CES;
Staff Sgt. Ashley Wells, 52nd FSS;
Staff Sgt. Joshua Young, 52nd LRS;
Senior Airman Tyler Austin, 52nd CES;
Senior Airman Lee Davis, 52nd LRS;
Senior Airman Crystal Moulinery, 52nd CES;
Airman 1st Class Manita Lopez, 52nd LRS;
Airman 1st Class Eric Whipple, 52nd CPTS;
Nico Boon, 470th ABS;
Gertrud Fandel, 52nd OSS;
Kenneth Fisher, 470th ABS;
Angelica Hibbert, 52nd CONS;
Greg Johnson, 470th ABS;
Ute Schaeffer, 52nd FSS;
Uschi Tolbert, 52nd CPTS;
Arts and Craft Center, 52nd FSS;
Bowling Center, 52nd FSS;
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Aircraft Safing Team, 52nd CES;
Flight Safety Section; 52nd FW;
Functional Area Records Mangers, 704th MUNSS;
Maintenance Control Element, 52nd LRS;
Munitions Maintenance Group Standardization Sections, 52nd MMG;
Plans and Programs Flight, 52nd CS;
Plans and Programs Flight, 52nd CONS;
Postal Operations, 470th ABS;
Radar Systems Maintenance, 52nd CS;
Vehicle Maintenance and Analysis Element, 52nd LRS and
Vehicle Management Training Element, 52nd LRS