WASHINGTON – Delaware’s Congressional Delegation today joined forces to congratulate Dover Air Force Base and all the men and women who serve there for winning the Commander In Chief’s Installation Excellence Award for 2008.

The award honors military installations for their outstanding service and dedication, and exemplary support of missions. This highly coveted award especially takes into consideration excellent working, living and recreational facilities for those men, women and families stationed at the base.

“This award tells the world what Delawareans and the Dover community have known for a long time – Dover Air Force Base is the best of the best,” Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) said. “It’s wonderful to see the daily commitment to excellence of the Dover team – airmen and women and their families – acknowledged and celebrated, while also recognizing the key role that airlift plays in wartime success. This is the first time in the history of the award that an air mobility base has won, another reminder of how critical Dover’s airlift is to successful military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.” 

“This is a great honor not only for Dover Air Force Base but for all of us in Delaware who are enormously proud of the base and all the dedicated men and women who serve there,” said Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.). “For Dover and for Delaware this means winning it all, like winning the Super Bowl or winning the NCAA championship. It’s like a home run with the bases loaded.”

“Time and again, the men and women at Dover have answered the call of duty,” said Congressman Mike Castle (R-Del.). “All of the airmen and civilians at the base, as well as those in the greater Dover community, have worked hard to make this one of the best installations in the country. I met personally with the Wing Commander Steven Harrison today to discuss issues of importance at Dover and to express my congratulations on winning the Commander in Chief’s Award.”

The Delaware Delegation met with an Installation Excellence Inspection Team to make the case for the base winning this award earlier this year.

Along with the honor of this award, the Base will receive $1 million to make more base improvements.

Dover Air Force Base was among six winners of this year’s award. The other selected installations include Fort A. P. Hill, Bowling Green, Va.; Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, San Diego, Calif.; Naval Base Coronado, San Diego, Calif. and Defense Supply Center Richmond, Richmond, Va.

The 2008 Commander in Chief’s Award ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, May 8, 2008, at 2 p.m.in the Pentagon Auditorium, Room BH650, Washington, D.C. The ceremony is open for media coverage. For more information please contact Chris Isleib at chris.isleib@osd.mil.

(Editor’s Note: A release providing more detail on this award was issued earlier today by the U.S. Department of Defense. It can be found at: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=11834)