Airmen Committed to Excellence is Incirlik’s ‘ACE in the hole’

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Heather Stanton
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Airmen Committed to Excellence is a private on-base organization comprised of Airmen basics through senior Airmen who represent the interests and concerns of their peers and serve as a liaison between their colleagues and wing leadership. 

"We are the voice of Airmen here," said Senior Airman Melissa Smith, ACE president. "We bring any questions, concerns or ideas they have for base or morale improvements to the attention of Incirlik's leadership." 

Active ACE members strive to embody the whole-person concept by getting involved in the Incirlik community, supporting volunteer opportunities and inspiring others to do the same. 

"We've sponsored the Women's History month fundraiser at Arkadas Park and we've cleaned Incirlik's miniature golf course," said Airman Smith, naming two of ACE's recent community events. 

The groups latest activity was sponsoring a Pie-in-the Face booth at Incirlik's Fourth of July Celebration where Airmen could vote for their first sergeant or chief master sergeant to get "pied." Chief Master Sgt. Robert Ellis, 39th Air Base Wing command chief, was the lucky recipient. 

Regardless of this dubious recognition, Incirlik's command chief believes ACE is a vital program. 

"The work these Airmen do for Incirlik and the Air Force as a whole is very remarkable when you consider it," said Chief Ellis. "They're involved in all facets of the local community, both inside and outside the fence-line." 

On occasion, ACE members do find themselves involved in activities outside the fence-line. 

According to Airman Smith, their latest trip outside the main gate was to visit children undergoing treatment in the Cukurova University Hospital's hematology ward. 

Along with volunteering time, ACE has also raised money for many Incirlik events. 

As a nonprofit organization, ACE does not collect dues from its members, said Airman Smith. All money raised for the organization is through fundraisers and goes back into the local community. 

"All fundraising money pays for future ACE events or is donated to other organizations and events," she said. 

While every Incirlik Airman in the pay-grade of E-1 through E- 4 is automatically granted membership in the group, ACE is currently seeking 20-30 motivated Airmen to attend meetings and be active in ACE functions and projects. 

"We're looking for committed Airmen interested in bettering themselves and doing great things for their community," said Senior Airman Shaunte Archibald, ACE vice president. "We want you to let your opinions be known and this is the place to start." 

Chief Master Sgt. Lisa Kuehnl, 39th Mission Support Group superintendent, agrees. 

"I can't recommend a better group for junior Airmen to be involved with," she said. "Among other things, ACE is a powerful tool in that its members are able to communicate with senior leadership in a way non-members may have more difficulty doing." 

Along with this, Chief Kuehnl said she relies on ACE as much as she does her fellow noncommissioned officers. 

"Who better to communicate with than an ACE member when it comes to finding out what's going on in the local community?" she said. "Sometimes we have preconceived notions about things and we rely on the Airmen to tell us what's really going on in their living areas and with their families." 

Chief Ellis believes active ACE membership can only enhance an Airman's scope of experience. 

"Participation in the program says a lot about an Airman and shows they're interested in being a vital part of their Air Force and challenging themselves as individuals," he said. 

Furthermore, the chief said many Air Force improvements have begun as an ACE initiative. 

"ACE is the starting point for most wing-level advances, where the rubber meets the road, basically," he said. "As long as we have ACE around, the welfare of Airmen will always receive top-level attention." 

For more information, Airmen may attend an ACE meeting held at 3:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month in the Consolidated Club's Ankara Room.