Volunteer excellence award nominations

  • Published
  • By Airman and Family Readiness Center
  • 28th Mission Support Squadron
ELLSWORTH AFB, S.D. --  The Air Force Volunteer Excellence Award was established to recognize federal civilians, family members, and military and federal retirees who perform outstanding volunteer community service of a sustained, direct and consequential nature. 

Volunteers have contributed much time, dedication, and enthusiasm to our bases and local communities. Year in and year out, volunteers faithfully commit themselves to perform and go beyond the call of duty. This award recognizes their long-term commitment to programs and communities. 

The VEA award differs from the quarterly and annual volunteer awards. Quarterly and annual awards recognize volunteer service for the Ellsworth community for the previous quarter or year. The VEA considers long-term volunteerism over a number of years, which positively impact a military installation or surrounding community. 

Criteria for this award are: 

The VEA is intended to recognize exceptional long-term community support and not a single act or achievement. 

It is intended to honor direct support of community activities. For the purpose of this award, attending membership meetings or social events of a community service group would not normally be considered qualifying service, while manning a community crisis action phone line would. 

The volunteer service may be donated over time at another military installation or in a local civilian community. For example, long term service as a Family Services volunteer, Boy/Girl Scout leader, etc. 

The nominee must be performing services on a voluntary basis, not as part of a tasking, and may not result in personal gain. This award will not be reflected in personnel records or earn promotion credit for federal employees selected to receive this award. 

The VEA may be awarded posthumously and may be presented to such representatives of the deceased as deemed appropriate by the commander.

Writing the Nomination. 

Nominations will be on the front page of an AF Form 1206. 

Direct, fact-filled, results-oriented nominations are preferred. The nomination should emphasize the benefits realized by the volunteer service and include qualifying factors that are out of the ordinary. 

Some suggestions for consideration are: leadership and management, scope of responsibility, innovative and creative ideas, community involvement, initiative and reliability. Nominators should be specific when giving the time frame of the accomplishment. 

If not using AF Form 1206, your nomination package should include the following information: 

VOLUNTEER EXCELLENCE AWARD 

Nominee: 

Address: 

Organization: 

Daytime telephone number: 

Duty telephone number: 

Nominating official: 

Nominating official contact information: 

Nomination packages are due no later than Wednesday, April 11th to the Airman & Family Readiness Center, or e-mail packages to mary.lassalle-adams@ellsworth.af.mil. 

Any winners of this award will be announced at the Volunteer Appreciation Week Luncheon. 

Active Duty military members are not eligible for the award; however, their contributions are recognized through nomination of the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal. 

For more information, call 385-4663.