Vance communicators tops in command

  • Published
  • By Frank McIntyre
  • Public Affairs
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  The 71st Communications Squadron at Vance Air Force Base was recently named recipient of the Lt. Gen. Harold W. Grant Unit Award as the best small communications unit in the Air Education and Training Command for 2005.
The 71st CS mission is to plan, program, maintain and provide communications and information systems in support of Vance.
According to its nomination package, the squadron's stellar performance during 2005 was highlighted by the AETC Operational Readiness Inspection results.
Following the inspection, the inspector general said, "the communications squadron led the way with an excellent overall rating, supported by every flight exceeding the standard, and the mission systems and plans flights being rated outstanding."
As new and upgrade construction bloomed over the landscape of the base, the communications squadron "expertly directed the communications design and engineering for 165 Team Vance projects valued at more than $68 million" as well as overseeing planning for 96 operational and maintenance, 24 military construction and 47 information technology initiatives.
The squadron also achieved outstanding results with the 2005 Air Traffic Safety Evaluation Program with a mere six findings -- only 20 percent of those found during evaluations at AETC sister bases.
One highly visible project the communications squadron oversaw was the implementation of the $1.4 million comprehensive installation warning system. Vance was the first base in AETC to field the full system that minimizes the wing's response time to force protection conditions and recalls.
"Winning the Lt. Gen. Grant Award for being the best small communications squadron in AETC is a tremendous achievement for us," said Maj. David Snoddy, 71st CS commander. "Receipt of the award verifies what I already knew. The men and women of the 71st Communications Squadron are the best crew of professional Airmen and civilians I have ever had the privilege of serving with."