Wing receives Satisfactory on UCI inspection

  • Published
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  On March 2, the Air Education and Training Command inspection team informed a standing-room-only crowd in the base auditorium here that Team Vance had earned a Satisfactory rating on the Unit Compliance Inspection conducted Feb. 20-27. 

"A kill is a kill," Col. Chris Nowland, the 71st Flying Training Wing commander, told the crowd after hearing the inspection results. 

He compared the UCI experience to someone running their first marathon. "When you train for a marathon you work hard and certainly the wing worked very hard getting ready for the Unit Compliance Inspection," he said. 

"When you train for a marathon and then you go out and run your first marathon you're very proud of yourself, and I certainly am very proud of all the members of Team Vance."
Afterward, you look at your running time, said Colonel Nowland, and you say, "You know, I probably could have done that just a little bit better. There are some areas that we think we possibly could have done a little bit better." 

Col. Monty Brock, the AETC Inspector General, presented coins to five Team Vance top performers during the inspection: Capt. Brian Smith, 71st Operations Group; Airman 1st Class Dennis Munch, 25th Flying Training Squadron; Master Sgt. Joseph Kline, 71st Maintenance; Richard Smith, 71st Logistics Readiness Squadron; and Staff Sgt. Adam Lohn, 71st Medical Group. 

Several Vance units received Excellent ratings from the inspectors. They included the 71st MDG; the 71st Force Support Squadron; the 71st FTW's Safety Office, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate and Chaplain; 3rd Fighter Training Squadron; 25th FTS; and 32nd Flying Training Squadron. 

The 71st OG received an overall 'Excellent' rating from the 19th Air Force Air Crew Standardization and Evaluation Visit, conducted separately from the UCI, with the 25th FTS and 32nd FTS noted as Outstanding. 

The 71st Operations Support Squadron Weather Operations Flight received an overall Excellent rating for its Standardization and Evaluation Program for Weather Operations inspection. 

Other Team Vance members selected as professional performers by the inspection team were: 

Wing Staff Agencies: Capt. Brandon Williams, 2nd Lt. Colie Henkel, Master Sgt. John Heckman, Master Sgt. Katherine Johnson, Senior Airman Jessica Parker and Toshie Whiteaker. 

71st Comptroller-Contracting: Staff Sgt. Brad Suggs and Robert Lemoins. 

71st Operations Group: Capt. Christopher Puccia. 

71st Operations Support Squadron: Maj. Sonny Hignite, Capt. Ryan Romano and Staff Sgt. Joeben Dorbandt. 

3rd Fighter Training Squadron: Maj. Darren Willis and Capt. Joseph Markowski. 

8th Flying Training Squadron: Capt. Trace Dotson, Capt. Andrew Krisel and 1st Lt. Timothy Wenk. 

25th Flying Training Squadron: Maj. Matthew Crowell and 1st Lt. Robert Prenton. 

32nd Flying Training Squadron: Maj. Brian Colby, Maj. Monyca Uecker and Staff Sgt. Paulo Manzo. 

33rd Flying Training Squadron: Maj. Chris McIntyre, Capt. Dan Healey and Staff Sgt. Ruby Barrington. 

71st Force Support Squadron: Master Sgt. Melissa Lewis, Senior Airman Justin Casey and Senior Airman Andrew Smith. 

71st Security Forces Squadron: Staff Sgt. Brian Page, Senior Airman Damon Beasley, Senior Airman Tina Ernsting, Airman 1st Class Quintin Haynes and Scott Boas. 

71st Communication Squadron: Senior Airman David Grubs and John Skannal. 

71st Logistics Readiness Squadron: 2nd Lt. Mryamn Ruth, Tech. Sgt. Herman Kaauamo and Calvin Miller. 

71st Medical Group: Tech. Sgt. Chris Phillips, Staff Sgt. John Snyder and Senior Airman Stephen McCallister. 

Major Accident Response Exercise: Tech. Sgt. Michael Reed. 

Programs Management: Regina York. 

PIR: Senior Airman Ronald Ernest. 

After the out brief, Colonel Nowland recognized the following Team Vance members as top performers during the inspection with his commander's coin: 

Wing Staff Agencies: Lt. Col. Jon Kim, Lt. Col. Steve Wisser, Maj. Paul Davis, Maj. Danielle Willis, Master Sgt. Robert Caithaml, Senior Airman Todd Osborne and Holly Eckstein. 

71st Operations Group: Maj. Matt Eckles, Maj. Byron Stancliff, Capt. Tony Weedn, Tech. Sgt. Vinnice Taylor, Staff Sgt. Trae Clark, Staff Sgt. Joe Dorbant, Staff Sgt. Eric Hagan. Staff Sgt. Nicole Harrington, Senior Airman Jonathan Giam, Senior Airman Amanda Robinson, Dave Davis, "Reese" Jones and Kerry Grisham. 

71st Mission Support Group: Capt. Bruce Osborn, Tech. Sgt. David Hoy, Tech. Sgt. Richard White, Staff Sgt. Danielle Ring, Senior Airman Latoya Cole, Senior Airman Jennifer DePrinzio, Airman 1st Class Isabela Diego and Frederick Pepe. 

71st Medical Group: Capt. Jamie Kaauamo, Capt. Shawnee Williams, Master Sgt. Phillip Dyer, Airman 1st Class Joseph Santiago, Rhonda Patton and Oscar Jacobs.