501st CSW postures for future with FY09 finish

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Joel Mease
  • 501st Combat Support Wing Public Affairs
RAF ALCONBURY, United Kingdom --  The 501st Combat Support Wing ended fiscal year 2009 on Sept. 30, with a tremendous finish to a year which experienced substantial amounts of project funding, quality of life distribution, and discretionary funds at a level not seen in years for its installations. 

The wing saw an overall total obligation increase of more than 15 percent from last year's numbers of Air Force money, an amount totaling nearly $27 million. The increase was something of a pleasant change for 501st CSW operations. 

"This was a significant increase especially in an era where budgets usually stay level or drop where we're not expecting real growth in the budgets," said Maj. Anthony Kimbrough, 501st CSW Finance Management Flight chief. "The windfall was essential for helping us fund badly needed infrastructure and appearance of the installations as well as offering greater opportunities for our families. These  projects will posture us for a much more successful future as a wing." 

The wing wouldn't have been able to posture itself for the additional funds , if it hadn't been for the constituent, hard work done ahead of time all throughout the year by individuals at all levels through the the groups and installations in the wing. 

"Our customers (wing units) did an outstanding job making sure this worked ahead of time," said Mr. Bill Johnson, 501st CSW Contracting Flight chief. "The groups submitted to us more than $7 million in wish list items, where in a normal year we would only be able to execute 20 percent of those. This year was anomaly in that we were able to execute roughly 75 percent of those." 

The increase was especially staggering considering the manning contracting has available to it. In the last month alone, contracting awarded 122 contracts worth nearly $11 million with only 10 people assigned to the office. This total gave the 501st Contracting Flight the most contracting awards per person manned in United States Air Forces in Europe. 

"I've done this for a long time; and this is by far, is the best year I have ever seen," Mr. Johnson said. 

The work done overall meant securing significant improvements to our base infrastructures throughout the wing and lots of badly needed supplies to our organizations, said Col. Timothy Cashdollar, 501st CSW commander.

"It was a great end-of year for the 501st, and we owe a great deal to the men and women who made it happen," Col. Cashdollar said. "Well Done!"