Team Dover excels at inspection

  • Published
  • By Capt. Marnee A.C. Losurdo
  • 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The sounds of sirens, blow horns, tambourines and cheers of about 1,000 Team Dover members echoed throughout the base theater Aug. 14 when the Air Mobility Command Inspector General gave the Liberty and Eagle Wings Excellent marks on their Operational Readiness Inspection. 

Team Dover processed 844 Airmen and deployed 615 personnel to the Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Mich., to participate in the inspection July 26 to Aug. 2. 

"We challenged you from the beginning and told you we were going to give you a test," said Brig. Gen. Donald Lustig, AMC IG. "You were given that test, put through the fire and proved you are very worthy of being able to execute your mission. Dover Air Force Base is ready to fight anywhere, anytime to provide worldwide support." 

To earn their excellent grades, the wings were evaluated in four areas: initial response, employment, mission support and ability to survive and operate. There was a five-tier rating system of Outstanding, Excellent, Satisfactory, Marginal and Unsatisfactory with the wings earning an overall grade of Excellent. 

"Not only did we deploy as a team, we did what had to be done and showed we could accomplish more than what the inspector general usually examines," said Col. Steven B. Harrison, 436th Airlift Wing commander. "We did so well that the IG even threw in some additional tasks for us to do." 

The colonel said he was impressed with Team Dover's initiative during the ORI.
"We were 95 percent mission capable ready," said Colonel Harrison. "That means we were 24 hours early and came home six hours ahead of schedule from the ORI. There were no major discrepancies in the personnel and cargo deployment functions, and there were no major write-ups - that's impressive." 

Maj. Gen. Martin M. Mazick, 22nd Air Force commander at Dobbins Air Force Base, Ga., who flew to Dover for the out brief, said he agrees. He added this was the first excellent he'd seen a wing earn in a long time. 

"The associate program is all about relationships and you can see that demonstrated in these parallel scores," said the general. "The scoring speaks volumes about how you work together to get the job done." 

Although unable to attend the out brief, Col. Randal L. Bright, 512th AW commander had 512th AW Vice Commander Col. David H. Wuest thank the Dover team for all of their support throughout the past year of preparation. 

Colonel Bright thanked his reservists, their families and employers for their support. 

"I am so proud to be a part of this team," said Colonel Bright. "As your commander, I would like to thank each of you for all of your hard work and the role you played in the wing's success. Regardless of what score is reflected in the log book of the IG, in my book you were simply outstanding."