5th BW Safety Office wins two AF awards

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Wesley Wright
  • Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  The 5th Bomb Wing safety office won two Air Force level awards March 9.

The ground safety office received the Air Force Chief of Safety Outstanding Achievement Award for Ground Safety, and the weapons safety office received a Nuclear Surety Category One for outstanding safety and performance in mishap prevention during fiscal year '06.

According to Rod Krause, 5th BW ground safety, and Bryon Peterson, 5th BW weapons safety manager, these awards were earned by all the men and women of Minot Air Force Base.

"The ground safety award is very much a base-wide award," said Mr. Krause. "Sure, the safety office is presented with the award, but it's the base populace that earned it."

Likewise, Mr. Peterson emphasized the important role Minot AFB personnel played in the nuclear surety award.

"If you're at Minot Air Force Base, you're helping with nuclear surety," he said. "Everyone who does their job supports the mission. The plaque may be hanging on our wall, but it belongs to everyone on the base."

The safety office is no stranger to Air Force level awards. In 2003, ground safety earned the Air Force Chief of Safety Outstanding Achievement Award for Ground Safety, the second in four years for Minot AFB. Additionally, the safety office earned the Nuclear Surety Category One Award in 2005.

The weapons safety office is the only Air Combat Command nuclear surety program to win one of the plaques this year.

"This is what makes Minot Air Force Base shine," said Mr. Peterson. "Our hats are off to everyone."

Both offices won at the ACC level in December before moving on to compete Air Force-wide.

"I was thrilled to find out we won on both levels," said Mr. Krause. "Winning at the ACC is quite an honor in itself, let alone at the Air Force."

Mr. Krause said the ground safety award is due in large part to the outstanding support from wing leadership and unit safety representatives.

Col. Max Mitchell, 5th BW chief of safety, also emphasized the importance of wing leadership involvement.

"Supervisor involvement has a big impact on safety, not only here, but Air Force-wide as well," he said. "These awards show our people take things very seriously, and they are to be commended for that."

Mr. Krause stressed the importance of Airmen continuing to use proper risk management techniques, both on and off duty.

"We set a very high standard in FYO6," he said. "Let's continue to ensure our occupational and recreational safety, and push the standard even higher in 2007."