Senator Coons congratulates Dover AFB reserves on national award

This morning, Dover’s own 512th Airman and Family Readiness of the 512th Airlift Wing at Dover Air Force Base was honored with the 2011 Reserve Family Readiness Award for the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Every year, the award goes to the best unit in each reserve component that prepares airmen and their families for deployment, sustains them throughout, and supports them in their reintegration when they return. The award-winning 512th A&FR supports more than 1,800 airmen and their families connected to Dover Air Force Base, who are spread over 29 states.

The 512th A&FR’s director, Master Sergeant Laura Coseglia, accepted the award on behalf of her team from Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs David McGinnis at a ceremony held at the Pentagon. Senator Coons was presiding over the Senate at the time of the ceremony, but a member of his staff was present, as was wing commander Colonel Randal L. Bright.

Master Sgt. Coseglia’s team has earned best in the nation honors because of their community-based approach to support for airmen and their families. Rather than focus on a top-down, directive based approach to meeting the needs of men and women who serve, the 512th A&FR reaches out to our Delaware community, partnering with over 175 different military, non-profit, business, education, and veteran groups. In today’s austere environments, when needs seem to always outstrip resources, this broad community-based approach opens up creative possibilities for meeting needs.

Senator Coons believes that the community-based approach to serving needs in Delaware that the 512th A&FR does the best in the nation provides the flexibility and responsiveness that is too often lagging in support for our nation’s service members and veterans. He will join with Wilmington University on April 21 for Operation Success, a job fair and outreach event for service members, veterans, and their families, which is bolstered by the Delaware service members support community, including the 512th A&FR.