NAS Jax best in Southeast Region

"Each year we have the opportunity to recognize the excellence of shore installations that step beyond the day-to-day challenges and excel in providing the best service to the fleet, fighter and family. The Navy Region Southeast 2009 Installation Excellence Award panel met last week. The panel reviewed 12 submissions and recommended NAS Jacksonville as the 2009 Navy Region Southeast nomination to CNIC," explained Rear Adm. Tim Alexander, commander, Navy Region Southeast.

"Congratulations to Capt. Scorby and his team for their superb efforts at enabling warfighter readiness through effective and efficient delivery of base operating support and installation management," he added.

NAS Jacksonville sustained excellence in a wide range of operational and warfighter readiness support functions, better mission performance and superb quality of life for military men and women and their families, and community outreach program set it apart from 21 other Southeast installations. The nomination exemplified the total commitment to excellence by its military and civilian personnel and sets the air installation as one of the contenders for the CNIC Award.

"We are very honored to be the 2009 Navy Region Southeast nominee to CNIC for the Installation Excellence Award. Our nomination among extraordinary competition throughout the Southeast Region is a reflection of the commitment and outstanding performance of the military and civilian workforce aboard NAS Jacksonville. Our Sailors and squadron's were globally deployed and NAS Jax was actively engaged at every level of naval aviation warfighting readiness," remarked NAS Jacksonville Commanding Officer Capt. Jack Scorby Jr., upon learning of the selection.

"I couldn't be prouder of the NAS Jax Team. Their agility and flexibility ensured that NAS Jax accomplished its mission with one of the best safety records in the Navy. I applaud their continuous efforts and their outstanding support of Chief of Naval Operation's Global Maritime Strategy." added Scorby.

During 2009, the stellar performance of the men and women aboard the air station contributed to the new world in aviation readiness while advancing the Navy's Cooperative Maritime Strategy. In FY09, the NAS Jax team played an important role and impressively completed nearly half-a-billion dollars of construction without a single accident and gave the U.S. Navy its first two "Green" LEED-certified hangar and the largest P-3 hangar in the world.

Among the major accomplishments achieved by the air station during the fiscal year was the relocation of four P-3 squadrons and a logistics squadron with more than 3,000 Sailors and families relocating from Brunswick, Maine, the establishment of the first Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron on the east coast - HSM-70 - and the expansion of Naval Hospital Jacksonville among others. Furthermore, the installation also earned the prestigious Meritorious Unit Commendation, its fourth consecutive Chief of Naval Operations Occupational Health Ashore Safety Award and its third Secretary of the Navy Safety Award for Achievement in Safety Ashore in the large, non-industrial category.

Furthermore, NAS Jax environmental stewardship was recognized in the spring of 2009, when Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton presented the Environmental Achievement Award for Government.

NAS Jacksonville looks forward to competing at the CNIC level among the 77 worldwide installations. The winner of the CNIC Installation Excellence Award will be nominated for the Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence. Established in 1984, the award recognizes the outstanding efforts of personnel in the operations and maintenance of U.S. military installations worldwide.