COMUSAFE awards excellence with ACE coins

  • Published
  • By Capt. Elizabeth Culbertson
  • U.S. Air Forces in Europe Public Affairs
Ramstein Air Base, Germany --  Three members of U.S. Air Forces in Europe headquarters staff received Airmen Committed to Excellence coins here recently.

Maj. Robert Pope, chief of long-range strategy and policy for the Plans and Programs Directorate; Tech. Sgt. Anita Howey, non-commissioned officer in charge of officer promotions for the Personnel Directorate; and Staff Sgt. Katherine Kwarcinski, non-commissioned officer in charge of enlisted promotions and evaluations for the Personnel Directorate; were all recognized for their hard work and dedication to the mission.

Gen. Tom Hobbins, USAFE commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Gary Coleman, USAFE command chief master sergeant presented the coins during a staff call Sep. 5.

Major Pope led the management headquarters restructure that was lauded by Headquarters Air Force. He initiated the Romanian basing strategy and co-developed European Command's Black Sea region strategy. Major Pope led a HAF team to Nigeria and assisted in developing a Nigerian AF strategic plan. He also co-led the USAFE Transformation Integrated Process Team and led a multi-disciplinary team to find costs and issues involved in moving 16th AF.

Sergeant Howey's attention to detail in the O-6 promotion release statistics was key to timely and accurate review. She revamped a records retrieval process to ensure accuracy of a member's promotion records. She also created an internal process adjustment to streamline record review and management-level review processes.

Sergeant Kwarcinski was praised for filling in for the superintendent for seven weeks during office turnover. She also managed the Stripes for Exceptional Performer's program, working with Chief Coleman on the command's quota. She led a major management-level review board, auditing 220 records and digitizing more than 1,900 files. Sergeant Kwarcinski also volunteers, assisting with military dependent children's cemetery cleanup and the Fisher House landscape project.

The ACE award consists of a large medallion engraved with the recipient's name and sequentially numbered by order.