24 Jan 2022 19th Contracting Suadron wins three Air Force awards

LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Jacksonville — The 19th Contracting Squadron recently won three Air Force awards due to their outstanding efforts during 2021.  

The Air Force Outstanding Pricing Team Award, under the operational category, was awarded to the 19th CONS Acquisition Flight for their distinctive contracting pricing support, which included executing the Multiple Award Construction Contract, the primary vehicle for Little Rock Air Force Base’s infrastructure support and a new Base Information Technology Services Contract.

“One of the big projects that we worked on included the visitor center out at the front gate,” said Senior Master Sgt. Dustin Hoffman, 19th CONS senior enlisted leader. “We were given the authorization to [carry out this contract] which was essentially a military construction project not normally done at the operational CONS level.”

In addition to winning the Outstanding Pricing Award, the 19th CONS was also awarded two individual awards; the Air Force Outstanding Contracting Enlisted Member Noncommissioned Officer Award and the Air Force Outstanding Contracting Enlisted Member Senior Noncommissioned Officer Award.

Tech. Sgt. Philip Napier, 19th CONS services NCO in charge, was awarded the Outstanding Contracting Enlisted Member Noncommissioned Officer Award for his leadership capabilities and excellence in executing the mission.

While Napier’s primary focus was on the day-to-day duties of being a contracting officer, he later took on the responsibility of becoming the unit training manager for the 19th CONS.

“I put a big emphasis within the unit on training those around me, not only through being a UTM, but by making sure that they are extremely knowledgeable in what they do,” said Napier. “Ensuring everyone knows what they need to do is critical to maintaining continuity across the squadron.”

Napier, who was previously a unit deployment manager, added that he was able to provide new ideas and perspectives based on the knowledge he learned from his last assignment.

Additionally, Master Sgt. Kevin Thomas, 19th CONS acquisitions flight superintendent, was presented the Outstanding Contracting Enlisted Member Senior Noncommissioned Officer Award, which recognized his outstanding efforts as a leader in the contracting career field.

“There’s no doubt that this award is a direct reflection of the team’s performance and accomplishments,” said Thomas. “It’s taken a truly strong cast to make this happen. This team has the motivation and drive to take our squadron and advance it forward.”

Thomas said that when he moved to the 19th CONS in December 2020, he was able to determine the areas the squadron excelled in and the areas that needed improvement. He was then able to determine the steps they needed to advance.

He added that not only was he able to motivate the junior Airmen to enroll into some kind of schooling, but the NCOs as well. He also encouraged the squadron to volunteer and help with community events and get involved in various professional development classes.

“The core piece that I’m really targeting here is pushing Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr.’s [strategic approach of] ‘Accelerate Change or Lose,’” said Thomas. “The policy in that directive is so powerful; if you read those action orders it really details how we should be moving forward.”