Annual awards show off our finest Published Feb. 22, 2008 By Brig. Gen. Susan Helms 45th SW commander PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- I can't begin to tell you how proud Chief Vannorsdall and I both were to participate in Saturday night's Annual Awards Banquet. It was a first-rate event and I want to personally congratulate everyone nominated to win the big prize. All of you are among the best of the best and that makes competition fierce. Prior to the announcement of the final winners, the chief and I presented medallions to about 70 of the finest military members and civilian employees anywhere in the Department of Defense. It was a great honor to bestow these well-earned medallions to the nominees. We can boast state-of-the-art equipment and the latest in technological advances, but without good people to make those assets work together, we would be left with very little. It is always the people who make the difference. You - the military personnel and civilian employees of the 45th Space Wing and our mission partners - are the primary reason we have the fabulous reputation we do throughout Space Command and the entire Air Force. While the military isn't the only organization to recognize its outstanding achievers, I do believe we do the most in honoring them. So, my thanks go to all those who worked to make the evening a success worthy of our auspicious nominees and winners. I encourage all supervisors to take the time to nominate your folks in future years. I understand many of them don't need that public "pat-on-the-back" to keep up their outstanding work both on and off the job, but it's nice for us to be able to personally recognize them in this kind of format. In closing, let me offer my appreciation for all those who made this night such a memorable event - the banquet committee, the volunteers and all the friends, family and co-workers who made this night no one who was honored will ever forget. Just seeing the smiles on the faces of the winners made it a night I'll never forget either. You make me proud. Go Sharks!