Environmental team presented AF award

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Daniel Brosam
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  The 341st Civil Engineer Squadron environmental section was notified of their win of the 2016 Gen. Thomas D. White National Resources Conservation Award for best natural resources program in the Air Force in late February.

This annual award recognizes the installation with the best or most improved natural resources management program during the previous three fiscal years and who emphasizes its program improvements and initiatives, achieved objectives, interagency cooperation, community relations, conservation education and command support.

Lt. Col. Joel Purcell, 341st CES commander, said winning this award shows that his team is following and surpassing the vision of the Department of Defense in taking care of the environment.

“Winning this award not only proves that we can support the mission from our built infrastructure but also our natural infrastructure,” said Purcell. “More than 13,800 square miles is a lot of land and a lot of species that we’re protecting.

“We are ensuring we can accomplish the mission without negatively impacting the environment, and being good neighbors to (everything) that falls within our massive complex,” he continued. “I’m just very proud of that accomplishment and the Air Force’s recognition for it.”

During the accomplishment period, the environmental team enhanced the natural environment and improved mission capability each year by executing more than 80 successful, time-lined conservation projects and secured funds for more than 10 new projects each year.

The team also ensured all operations were conducted in accordance with state and federal environmental regulations, with minimal environmental impacts, while enabling mission success.

“(This award) validates all of the hard work we put in and the things we have been doing,” said Rudy Verzuh, 341st CES installation management flight chief. “It shows our program is making improvements, making progress and that it is on the right track.”

In October 2015, the team along with volunteers planted a pollinator garden on base to help increase the amount of native plants, decreasing the amount of invasive weeds as well as reducing the use of herbicides on base as part of a vision of the DOD.

Another big accomplishment was the new Bird-Aircraft Strike Hazard plan created by the environmental team.

Malmstrom previously had fixed-wing aircraft, however, the last airplanes left the base in 1996, leaving only UH-1N Iroquois helicopters.

The former BASH plan pertained only to fixed-wing aircraft and lacked data for helicopter-only operations. This plan included recommended measures that were costly for Malmstrom’s current rotor-craft operations.

Developing this new plan in-house saved more than $30,000 in contracting costs. As a result, BASH wildlife management techniques were revised with manpower savings and less expense on bird and prey-based control.

The plan also reduced the risk of property damage, injury and loss of lives, and enhanced the flying mission of the 40th Helicopter Squadron.

Upon winning at the Air Force level, the team was nominated to apply for the Secretary of Defense-level award under the same category. The team competed against the other branches of the military and placed in the top three.

“We worked really hard and it was a real honor to compete for the award,” Verzuh said.