WR-ALC takes top honors with Department of Defense award Published Oct. 24, 2008 By Wayne Crenshaw 78th ABW/PA ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Warner Robins Air Logistics Center's civilian personnel directorate won the gold award and the Directorate of Contracting won silver from the Under Secretary of Defense in recognition of workforce development efforts. In the 2008 USD Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Workforce Development Award program, WR-ALC took gold in the large organization category and the Directorate of Contracting took silver in the small organization category. It marked the first gold for the base since the program began in 2004. "I think it's huge," said Mary Larralde, director of civilian personnel, in describing the significance of the award. "I think it's very significant for the base; it is an affirmation of all the good things we have done through DP and the training and development division." David Burger, civilian development management chief, credited the award not just to the educational efforts on base, but also to the efforts to recruit future employees through partnerships with high schools, middle schools and even primary schools in Middle Georgia. The aim through that program, he said, is to work with schools to try to spur student interest toward careers in jobs needed at the base. "The bottom line is that this award is about taking care of our people and taking care of people through strong workforce development programs," Mr. Burger said. "The workforce development starts at recruitment." The majority of colleges and technical schools in Middle Georgia teach classes on base, he said. The base also has a youth apprenticeship program that allows high school juniors and seniors to work on base with aircraft maintenance workers, and even in white collar jobs. A total of 38 students participated in the program this year, Mr. Burger said, which is a 600-percent increase from the previous year. Of those who have participated in the program, 47 have gone on to become employees here. Those involved in training and recruitment efforts like to refer to the all-encompassing approach as "K to gray," meaning anyone from kindergarteners to older workers are targeted for developing a better workforce. "I've been to multiple other Air Force locations in my career, and Robins has the best organized and well-thought out vision and path to developing our workforce that I've seen," said Brenda Romine, executive director of the WR-ALC. "This award, which is recognition at the OSD level, is affirmation of the commitment we have to ensuring we have a professional and well-trained workforce long into the future, one that will continue to provide the foundation that allows Robins to be a critical player in providing for our national defense." Debra Singleton, chief of the Training and Professional Development Division, noted that Maj. Gen. Polly Peyer, commander of WR-ALC, once told her that workforce development is an investment, not an expense. That kind of support, she said, was critical to winning the award. "We had senior leadership commitment throughout, taking a strategic approach to learning and development," Ms. Singleton said. The organizations were notified of the awards by e-mail last week. The awards will be presented by Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology James Finley at a ceremony Nov. 4. Mickie Cranford, Management Resources Division chief in the Directorate of Contracting, credited the organization's silver award to "commitment and perseverance." "This award recognizes the vision of our leadership in developing innovative ways to not only hire new employees but keep our current employees proficient in their job skills," Ms. Cranford said. She said the award was judged on a 100-point scale on eight topic areas: workforce development objectives, best practices, benefits realized, workforce development climate, training, affiliations, and partnerships and culture.