Awesomeness starts here Published March 9, 2020 By Senior Airman Matthew Angulo 39 ABW INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- The 39th Air Base Wing Safety office received Air Force-level recognition for its achievements over the past year in keeping operations safe here. The team received numerous awards for their efforts in ensuring Incirlik Airmen conduct their daily missions in a safe and effective manner. Lt. Col. Tyler Berge, 39th ABW chief of safety, saw his team’s recognition as a fulfilment of expectations the wing commander, Col. Randy Oakland, placed upon him. “Col. Oakland’s intent for me was to make the 39th ABW Safety Office the best in the Air Force,” said Berge. “I think winning these awards have definitely done it.” While members of the team won individual awards at the Air Force and Major Command levels, their collective efforts contributed to U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa winning Air Force recognition. With the help of safety offices around the MAJCOM, USAFE-AFAFRICA won the coveted Col. Will L. Tubbs Memorial Award for Occupational Safety. Tech. Sgt. Jordan Holmes, 39th ABW occupational safety technician, said this recognition motivates her to continue to excel—a trend which she hopes she will take to her next duty location. “I think that when you get awards like this, it means that you’re headed in the right direction,” she explained. “It’s not that our program is perfect, or that we’re perfect and that we can’t do anything wrong--but we’re getting the support that we need from all of our leadership,” Holmes added that her desire to help Airmen by keeping them safe drives her to put her heart and soul into all her work. Safety Airmen are responsible for evaluating and inspecting work areas for safety hazards. They also brief workers about risk management and show them how to mitigate hazards in their work places. Master Sgt. Chris McClure, 39th ABW weapons safety manager, credited the squadrons his team inspects with implementing safe workplace practices. When personnel are diligent in utilizing risk management, it makes the safety inspector’s job much easier, he added. “We have a large scope of responsibility,” McClure said. “Part of the reason we received the award is due to the work we do with other squadrons by making sure we keep their programs up to par.” Berge praised the efforts of his team, saying he is proud to have Airmen who are dedicated to protecting personnel and the missions they conduct. The safety office is there to help people, not hurt them, Berge added. “We have to be linked in with all the different teams that are out there to make sure that operations are done in a safe manner,” said Berge. “As I tell every Airmen at Newcomers’ briefings, ‘we ensure you guys get home safe —we bring you back home to your friends and your family.”