PENSACOLA — Naval Air Station Whiting Field will receive a national-level award.
The Association of Defense Communities honored NAS Whiting Field with its Installation Excellence Award for 2015. This recognizes the command’s continuing emphasis on strengthening relationships with Northwestern Florida and Southeastern Alabama localities.
ADC presents awards to individuals and organizations that support enhanced ties between military and the area in which the military bases reside. The organization reviews Department of Defense installations from any military branch that has successfully built strong partnerships with communities, regions and/or states to “enhance community-military collaboration; promote installation efficiency and innovation; advance DoD energy efficiency goals; and/or serve as a national model for community-military partnerships.”
To be eligible for the award, an ACD member must nominate an installation. Jim Brightenfield, the Tri-County Defense Support Initiative’s manager, submitted NAS Whiting Field’s nomination.
“I have seen firsthand the outstanding work done at NAS Whiting Field, training our future aviators. The commitment Whiting makes to its students, staff and the community are without parallel,” he said. “Whiting Field has, over the past few years, received numerous unit and installation awards. The ADC award representing Installation Excellence brings together all the work and awards and commitment under the appropriate banner that signifies true installation excellence.”
NAS Whiting Field’s nomination package detailed aspects of the installation’s relationship with the community. Specific items included the base’s land-buffering initiatives with the county, the renewable energy project at Holley Field in Navarre, a proposed land-swap concept with Escambia County and volunteerism within the community.
NAS Whiting Field Commanding Officer Capt. Todd Bahlau was pleased with the recognition, but emphasized that the key word for the ADC award was partnership.
“The team here at NAS Whiting Field continues to set the standard by working tirelessly to be good neighbors in the community,” Bahlau stated. “The residents and businesses of Santa Rosa County likewise take care of our team in a way that I have not seen before in my 25 years of service. I am truly fortunate to be part of such a tremendous relationship.”
Bahlau will receive the award during ADC’s annual symposium June 21 in Washington D.C.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: NAS Whiting Field recognized as Top Shore Installation