Air Force announces 2018 Innkeeper Award winners

  • Published
  • By Angelina Casarez
  • AFIMSC/PA

Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas – The Air Force recently announced the winners of the 2018 Innkeeper Awards for best lodging operations across the service.

The award, managed by the lodging division of the Air Force Services Activity, recognizes inns that provide the best hotel-type lodging and customer service to Air Force travelers.

This year’s winners are:

Large category: Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa

Small category: Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, Air Mobility Command

“We are proud to recognize these teams for their dedication and direct impact to mission accomplishment. They ensure our Airmen are ready and able to perform their mission whenever and wherever they are called to duty,” said Col. Donna Turner, AFSVA commander. 

The Air Force Innkeeper award program began in 1982. By 1984, the competition was divided into two categories: large for inns with 286 rooms or more and small for inns with 285 rooms or less.

Each major command nominates a lodging operation to represent their command and compete for this annual award. The top four with the highest standards in both categories receive an on-site evaluation by AFSVA lodging experts.

Winners are determined by customer service, housekeeping, financial status and management criteria.  

In addition to the Innkeeper Award, the evaluation team selects one individual nominee from each of the installations to be considered for the Innkeeper Travelers’ Award.

Nominees for the award demonstrate the highest standards of professionalism, attitude, customer service and overall knowledge of the inn.

“We wouldn’t be able to accomplish our mission without the professionalism and dedication of the lodging staff,” said Tony Cambron, Air Force Lodging chief. “These teams ensure Airmen and their families experience exceptional service at our lodging facilities.”

This year’s individual nominees for the Innkeeper Travelers’ award are: Airmen 1st Class Alexa Moulton from Hurlburt Field, Florida; Nazan Ogru from Incirlik AB, Turkey; Neda Hilmo from Kadena AB, Japan; Reginald Sanders from MacDill AFB, Florida; Martha Hosterman from Dover AFB, Delaware; Staff Sergeant Gabriel Castillo from Luke AFB, Arizona; Tomohisa Taneichi from Misawa AB, Japan; and Michelle Jones from Patrick AFB, Florida.

The Innkeeper trophies will be presented and the winners of the travelers’ award announced in the fall at the 2018 Lodging Managers Leadership Training, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.