Everyone is a winner

COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- As we near our annual awards ceremony to recognize those that have excelled during 2017, there is nothing we enjoy more than an opportunity to recognize the outstanding team of men and women who passionately come to work, ready to execute Team BLAZE’s mission.

Each of our nominees that will announced during our Annual Awards ceremony has contributed with outstanding dedication to the mission, and has clearly demonstrated their talent.

They represent the best and the brightest of our All Volunteer Force, which includes our civilians and NAF Airmen, who work tirelessly to ensure our mission of Produce Pilots, Advance Airman and Feed the Fight is lock solid.

But as extraordinary as our nominees are, I am confident their success is a result of the support they receive from their front line supervisors, their senior leadership, their peers, those they lead and the support they receive at home.

So to the wonderful 14 Flying Training Wing spouses, friends, and significant others that will be in attendance during the ceremony, thank you for your sacrifice and your support.

Given the number of flying hours we accomplished during the year, it is no surprise that everyone nominated for their respective awards are among the top in their duty sections.

As you might expect, no one works alone and it’s critically important that we build enduring relationships across the wing.

We are particularly proud of all your achievements and impressed with your solutions that many of you have generated in dealing with problems that extend into other avenues of creating the world’s greatest pilots.

What you do is important, and it matters! No matter whether you are working personnel issues, scheduling dental appointments or screening flying records for appropriate documents, you have all contributed, and it’s a team effort!

While we are only presenting one team award tonight, know that you are all part of a great team, and there is still much more work to do, so there will be more opportunities in 2018!

Thank you for your individual and collective achievements. Thanks again to all the nominees, their supervisors, the leadership team at large and of course the families.