31st FSS: Air Force's top support unit

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Katherine Windish
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  The 31st Force Support Squadron recently earned the 2011 Air Force's General Curtis E. LeMay Award, excelling in all graded areas, particularly when supporting more than 2,500 additional joint and coalition personnel during Operations Odyssey Dawn and Unified Protector.

"This award is a result of the accomplishments of the squadron as a whole, as well as each individual military, civilian and local national," said Lt. Col. Tom Angelo, 31st FSS commander. "It is their dedicated service to the great customers of Aviano that won us this award and the recognition that comes with it. We've been involved with activities spanning from Operations Odyssey Dawn and Unified Protector, base inspections, deployments to everyday operations. Our Airmen saw opportunities to excel, and this award is proof we did."

The 31st FSS supported the influx of personnel deployed to Aviano in support of OOD and OUP by re-opening unused facilities to increase personnel living quarters, manning a 24-hour recreation center, establishing a contingency kitchen on the flightline, and extending hours at both base dining facilities and at child and youth care centers.

In addition to supporting contingency operations, the 31st FSS was also responsible for maintaining their daily customer services.

The Airman and Family Readiness Center developed 13 new spouse resiliency programs to help ease the cultural transition for families moving to Italy and expanded the Parent Co-Op Care Program, the only one of its kind in the Air Force, to provide networking, assistance, and child care for stay-at-home parents.

The Mountain View Lodge completed renovations and wireless internet projects that improved quality of life for the 86,000 patrons that visit annually.

The military personnel section ranked third out of 27 large bases, increasing their position by 16 places in one year by providing reenlistment support to more than 1,000 people; maintaining a 93% on-time rate of performance reports; and ensuring accurate and timely personnel reliability program qualification/certification paperwork and deployment processing.

"Aviano is a wonderful base with such a dynamic mission," said Angelo. "I've always been proud to be part of such a large, diverse organization, but it is truly humbling to be part of the best 'large FSS' in the Air Force and to know the incredible efforts of the squadron, and every individual, has been recognized in this way."