CNIC oversees 70 U.S. Navy installations worldwide. For the Installation Excellence Awards, bases are evaluated on a number of categories including facilities management, quality of life, environment, energy, property stewardship and safety & health, among others.
“As always, nominations this year were highly competitive and it was very difficult to select only three finalists in each category,” explained Lindsey. “I remain amazed by the depth and scope of what our installations do year-in and year-out, often under very challenging conditions, to support the Fleet, Fighter and Family.”
Large Installation Winners
Winners in the Large Installation category were Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain, led by Capt. Greg A. Smith, in first place; Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, led by Capt. Brian D. Weiss, in second place; and Naval Base Coronado, led by Capt. John. W. DePree, in third place. NSA Bahrain also received the 2021 Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence, which recognizes outstanding and innovative efforts among those operating and maintaining U.S. military installations.
NSA Bahrain, U.S. Central Command’s only major operating base, earned its impressive accolades for providing phenomenal shore support for 31 forward deployed U.S. and coalition warships, enhancing warfighter readiness and lethality against the backdrop of increased regional tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic. Among its accomplishments, the installation completed the $49 million construction of the Mina Salman pier, growing berthing capacity by 50 percent, and an $18.9 million port security barrier, the longest of its type in the Navy, which was finished in nine months. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the base’s programs innovated with unprecedented speed to develop safe morale activities for the fighter, provide continuous support for the family and ensure uninterrupted mission operations in service of the fleet.
Small Installation Winners
2021 winners of the Small Installation category were NAS Whiting Field, previously led by Capt. Paul D. Bowdich, in first place; Naval Weapons Station (NWS) Seal Beach, led by CAPT Jason J. Sherman; and Camp Lemonnier, led by CAPT Kyle D. Schuman, in third place.
“I could not be more proud of the entire team here at NAS Whiting Field,” shared Bowdich, prior to his change of command ceremony earlier this month. “This award is truly a team effort of all hands on the base. It could not have been accomplished without all the hard work of everyone on the team. Congratulations, and well-deserved!”
NAS Whiting Field received the recognition for providing outstanding support of the Navy’s largest air wing and management of three towered airfields, 12 outlying fields, 4 million yards of tarmac, 16 miles of runways and 4,500 square miles of airspace. However, Bowdich said the honor couldn’t be achieved without a community that works hand-in-hand with the air station to accomplish the mission. NAS Whiting Field’s award nomination included citations for the base’s partnerships with Santa Rosa County, California toward securing property around the base to prevent incompatible development; gaining grants to support infrastructure improvements; incorporating dozens of military family life counselors in area schools creating the most robust program in the country and much more.
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