[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 114 (Tuesday, September 21, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S9439]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               BEALE AIR FORCE BASE: AIR FORCE EXCELLENCE

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Beale Air 
Force Base as the United States Air Force winner of the 2004 Commander 
in Chief's Installation Excellence Award. This award recognizes the 
outstanding efforts of the people who operate and maintain Department 
of Defense installations and who best utilize their resources to 
support the mission. In recognition of this prestigious accomplishment, 
Team Beale has been awarded $1 million for quality of life 
improvements.
  The Commander in Chief's Installation Excellence Award recognizes the 
best United States Military installations worldwide, demonstrating 
innovative programs that help sustain excellent base operations. Each 
base was evaluated in the following categories: improving work 
environment or physical plant; improving quality of life; enhancing 
productivity of the work force; increasing customer satisfaction or 
improving customer service; encouraging bottom-to-top communication and 
team problem solving; promoting unit cohesiveness and recognizing 
outstanding individual efforts; and, promoting environmental safety, 
compliance, remediation, and stewardship.
  In fiscal year 2003, Team Beale established itself as the benchmark 
for the United States Air Force. Teamwork was Beale's cornerstone among 
the core units, associate units, and the civilian community as they 
embraced the Installation Commander's motto, ``One Team, One Fight.'' 
Beale Air Force Base put intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance 
on the offensive with an unprecedented 3,450 sorties, 1,175 combat 
missions, and 13,300 combat hours during Operations Enduring and Iraqi 
Freedom. Team Beale led coalition forces in battle space preparation 
and time-critical targeting by producing more than 89,000 imagery 
products and 25,000 special intelligence products for two combatant 
commanders.
  In addition to Beale's history-making, record-breaking contributions 
to the United States' combat efforts, it also worked to improve in 
other areas. Beale Air Force Base took a lead role in its $180 million 
housing privatization efforts for 1,344 homes in conjunction with $114 
million in base-wide improvements and $56 million in RQ-4A Global Hawk 
bed down initiatives. In recognition of their outstanding performance, 
individual and team awards included: United States Air Force Air Force 
Outstanding Unit Award; United States Air Force Maintenance 
Effectiveness Award; United States Air Force Twelve Outstanding Airmen 
of the Year Award; United States Air Force Explosives Safety Plaque; 33 
Air Combat Command award; United States Strategic Command's Omaha 
Trophy; and, Eight Numbered Air Force awards.
  The men and women of Beale Air Force Base have set the Air Force 
standard for installation excellence. By embracing the Air Force core 
values of ``Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All 
We Do,'' Team Beale used creative innovations to establish themselves 
as the best of the best. It is with great pleasure that I congratulate 
Beale Air Force Base on the receipt of the prestigious Commander in 
Chief's Installation Excellence Award.

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