USA: NAS Jacksonville Sustains Excellence

For the second consecutive year, Commander, Navy Region Southeast selected Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville as the 2012 Installation Excellence Award nominee for the Commander, Naval Installation Command’s (CNIC) Installation Excellence Award Oct. 31.

The station was also the recipient of the CNIC Installation Excellence Award and the 2012 Presidential Installation Excellence Award. It will now go on to compete with 76 other installations for the CNIC Installation Excellence Award.

“I am very pleased to announce that NAS Jacksonville and Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City have been selected as our nominees for large and small installations, respectively for the FY-12 CNIC Installation Excellence Award,” said Commander, Navy Region Southeast Rear Adm. John C. Scorby Jr.

“Our cross-functional panel of experts considered excellent packages from all of our installations. NAS Jacksonville and NSA Panama City submitted the best packages in their respective categories, demonstrating how they exceeded the criteria set forth by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense to support the fleet, fighter and family.”

NAS Jacksonville sustained excellence in a wide range of operational and warfighter readiness support functions, better mission performance and superb quality of life for military men and women and their families. Community outreach programs set it apart from 17 other Southeast installations. The nomination exemplified the total commitment to excellence by its military and civilian personnel and sets the air installation as one of the contenders for the CNIC award.

In a message to base personnel, NAS Jax Commanding Officer Capt. Bob Sanders said, “Congratulations. You have been named the best large installation in the Southeast region. You truly are the best at what you do and I want to personally thank you. I cannot tell you how proud I am to be a part of this outstanding organization.

“The contributions of every person – military, DoD civilian and contractor – is valued. We are truly one team, one fight in pursuit of excellence and support to the fleet, fighter and family,” he said.

With the mission of supporting the fleet, fighter and family, NAS Jax is the premier installation for delivering effective, sustained and improved shore readiness for Sailors, their families and civilian employees.

Base personnel worked around-the-clock providing services to 14 home-based squadrons, numerous detachments, joint commands, government agencies and carrier strike group exercises.

Air Operations handled more than 52,600 flight operations and supported 30 detachments. The award-winning air installation continued its unprecedented and accident-free growth in FY-12 by exceeding the chief of naval operations’ mandated 75 percent mishap reduction goal.

In partnership with 110 tenant commands, station personnel provided support and service to transition the P-3C Orion to the P-8A Poseidon; Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron, logistic and Reserve squadrons, joint services and allies.

The station also completed or started construction on nearly $100 million of construction in support of the P-8A as well as the Triton and Fire Scout helicopter unmanned aerial systems.

Achieving the Secretary of the Navy’s gold level of achievement for energy savings, NAS Jax installed 1,140 square-feet of solar panels bringing the total to 5,500 saving approximately $300,000 annually.

NAS Jacksonville looks forward to competing at the CNIC level. The winner of the CNIC Installation Excellence Award will be nominated for the Commander in Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence.

Established in 1984, the award recognizes the outstanding efforts of personnel in the operations and maintenance of U.S. military installations worldwide.

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Naval Today Staff, November 5, 2012; Image: US Navy