Dobbins civil engineers score Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Published March 31, 2006 By By Master Sgt. Angelita Colón-Francia Public Affairs DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- The 94th Airlift Wing Base Civil Engineering and the 94th Civil Engineer Squadron have won the Society of American Military Engineers’ 2005 Air Force Outstanding Civil Engineer Unit Award - Air Reserve Command Unit Category. Given in February, the award acknowledges exemplary performance and efforts of the civil engineers to protect the environment and to conserve natural and cultural resources on Dobbins Air Reserve Base. Civil engineering at Dobbins is comprised of both civilian and military personnel that work together to support the mission of the 94th AW and other organizations located here. Under the supervision of Base Civil Engineer Mr. Ken Williams, the base civil engineers provide the day-to-day infrastructure and facilities work on the base. According to Mr. Williams, his section also oversees and provides base construction, maintenance engineering, facility services, pollution prevention, environmental assessments, fire protection, crash rescue, facility maintenance and grounds maintenance. “If it doesn’t fly, we build it and maintain it,” Mr. Williams said. “We have a lot to be responsible for. We are the ‘guardians of the installation.’” The 94th CES, under the command of Maj. Bryan Combs, supports the 94th AW mobility contingency operations. The squadron is comprised of CE, Fire Department, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Operations and Readiness personnel. Although the honor was given as a result of the efforts of both organizations, Mr. Williams and Major Combs credited the other’s personnel for significantly impacting the award nomination. Major Combs said much of the credit should go to the civilian personnel who take care of the daily engineer operations of the base. “The lion’s share of the kudos should go to them,” he said. “A large portion of the award nomination represents the hard work they do yearly.” Mr. Williams said it was the work of Airmen supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Coronet Oak and Aerospace Expeditionary Force operations that made a “tremendous impact” on the overall nomination. The Dobbins’ civil engineers became eligible to compete for the Air Force level award after winning the Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command 2005 Outstanding Civil Engineer Unit Award in October. According to a memorandum from the Office of the Civil Engineer, Headquarters United States Air Force, competition this year was particularly intense “underscoring the pride, professionalism, enthusiasm, initiative and innovation Air Force civil engineers are demonstrating in successfully meeting difficult challenges worldwide.”
