AFGSC’s top leader rewards Team Minot’s rowing challenge efforts

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Lt. Gen. James Kowalski, Air Force Global Strike commander, presents Team Minot leadership with a $50,000 check at the McAdoo Sports and Fitness Center June 11. The quality of life funds came as a reward to Team Minot Airmen for placing first in the base category for most meters rowed during last month’s AFGSC Rowing Challenge. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Crawford)

AFGSC's top leader rewards Team Minot's rowing challenge efforts

Published June 11, 2012
By Senior Airman Jose L. Hernandez
Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Lt. Gen. James Kowalski, Air Force Global Strike commander, personally presented Team Minot leadership with $50,000 in quality of life funds during a check presentation event at the McAdoo Sports and Fitness Center June 11.

The funds came as a reward to Team Minot Airmen for placing first in the base category for most meters rowed during last month's AFGSC Rowing Challenge.

The competition proved to be quite the challenge for Team Minot Airmen. Throughout the majority of the competition they were neck in and neck with Malmstrom AFB, Mont. in most meters rowed, with Team Minot closely leading the way.

The $50,000 prize was up for grabs up until the last minute, but fortunately for Team Minot, they logged a final distance of 5,521,161 meters rowed, only 72,560 meters more than Malmstrom AFB.

"It paid off," said Col. James Dawkins Jr, 5th Bomb Wing commander. "It was more than just $50,000 that we were rowing for-- it was for pride."

At the presentation, the general expressed his gratitude to the all the participants of the competition and explained that measuring performances through competition can bring out the best in all, especially when rewarded.

While the final determination of fund allocations is being worked out, leadership from across many organizations on base have already come together and pooled their votes to figure out how to use the funds. Also taken into consideration were Facebook and internal fitness center polls conducted to gain input from the base community.

Col. Max Mitchell, 5th Bomb Wing vice commander, explained that while he anticipates the funds to be used primarily to augment expenses for improving services at the Fitness Center, the funds will also support other programs base-wide. He added the wing commander has used some of his own funds to support services on base as well.

"We are trying to minimize costs of some of the resources we are getting, so we can maximize the amount of services we support," said Mitchell.