Lodging competes for Air Force level award Published July 6, 2007 By 31st Services Squadron Aviano Air Base, Italy -- The Mountain View Lodge was named U.S. Air Forces in Europe best small category lodging operation when it was awarded the Innkeeper Award in March 2007. Now the Mountain View Lodge is competing to be the best small category lodging in the Air Force. A three-person team from San Antonio will be here to evaluate the operation from Sunday through Thursday. The team will use a 30-page checklist to evaluate the operation. The checklist covers everything from front desk operations to housekeeping and customer service. Seven bases are competing for the award. The winners of the annual competition will be announced later this year. The Air Force Innkeeper Award Program was created in 1981 and is managed by the lodging branch, Headquarters Air Force Services Agency. The award is presented annually to recognize the lodging operation that provides the most outstanding hotel type lodging and customer service to the Air Force traveler. The purpose of the award is to encourage innkeepers to improve their management and operation of lodging facilities.