116th exec wins AF NAACP award Published July 21, 2011 By Wayne Crenshaw 78 ABW/PA ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- When Fabian Hollis heard he won the NAACP Benjamin L. Hooks Service Award for the Air Force, he thought someone must have made a mistake. The 116th Air Control Wing director of staff knew he had won it for Air Combat Command, and thought someone simply must have been confused when they told him he was the winner for the entire Air Force. "I just didn't think I had done anything to deserve that level of recognition," he said. The award is given for making significant contributions to race relations, civil rights, equal opportunity, affirmative action, human resources and public service, as well as helping civilians better understand the military. In an Air Force release announcing the award, he was recognized for defending the rights of the poor and disadvantaged while serving on several boards, including a planning and zoning board, a health board, and the (Crawford County) Sheriff's Committee for Concerned Citizens. His interest in equal treatment also extended to his job at Robins. "His Affirmative Employment Program was lauded by the Robins Equal Employment Opportunity Office as being second to none, resulting in zero equal employment opportunity or unfair labor practice complaints and only one grievance in the past nine years," the release stated. He will be presented with the award Tuesday at a ceremony in Los Angeles, Calif. Hollis said his community service has been educational. "I wish every person would volunteer to be on some board in their community," he said. "I just didn't realize how much stuff is going on that people didn't know about that they have a say in."