Vance safety office earns AETC award Published April 20, 2007 VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The 71st Flying Training Wing safety office was recently named Air Education and Training Command's winner of the Air Force Chief of Safety Outstanding Achievement Award for Ground Safety for fiscal year 2006 in the small base category. Vance previously received this recognition in 2003. "Congratulations to the 71st FTW's commanders, flight chiefs, supervisors and especially the working folks in the trenches for keeping a safety-minded work attitude that resulted in us receiving this recognition," said Capt. Jamie Baugh, safety officer. "Team Vance has safely displayed the highest degree of professionalism, knowledge and skill through task accomplishment." According to the award citation, the 71st FTW ground safety team, Randy Hakman and George Wagner, "distinguished themselves through superior performance by executing all ground and explosives mishap prevention programs in an exemplary manner." The citation also noted the base's innovative "Operation Safe Summer -- Zero Fatalities" campaign that boasted zero driving under the influence citations and 98 percent seat belt compliance. "The Vance AFB ground safety shop has done a tremendous job executing the ground, explosives and mishap prevention safety programs for the wing," said Col. Roderick Gillis, 71st FTW vice commander. "The results speak for themselves: zero fatalities -- either on or off duty, zero Class A mishaps, zero government civilian lost time injuries and zero motorcycle mishaps. In an era when our ground safety mishaps continue to rise, Vance stands out as an exception."