MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES -- 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) was recognized with the inaugural General Friedrich von Steuben Superior Unit Performance Award for superior performance during the Comprehensive Command Inspection (CCI), conducted earlier this year by the Inspector General of the Marine Corps (IGMC). The General Friedrich von Steuben Award is an annual award presented to the unit assessed as having the highest levels of efficiency, integrity, and institutional readiness across the Marine Corps. Lt. Col. Robert Steele, command inspector general of 2nd MAW, accepted the award on behalf of 2nd MAW at an awards ceremony hosted at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, on Oct. 22.
"This award is a significant achievement for 2nd MAW and demonstrates all of our Marines' hard work, attention to detail, and dedication towards mission excellence – especially the many individual Marines who managed functional areas across our command. Their collective efforts were what truly enabled us to be recognized," said Steele. "The Commanding General's Inspection Program is important because it ensures that units are maintaining the necessary standards to be ready for any mission requirement."
The CCI is an assessment of all the Critical or Required Evaluation (CoRE) functional areas of all major commands that possess a Commanding General’s Inspection Program (CGIP). These inspections are conducted by the Inspector General of the Marine Corps’ Inspections Division, typically every third or fourth fiscal year. Through the CCI, the Inspections Division inspects all major commands, like 2nd MAW, that are required to execute a CGIP, and "inspects the inspectors" to assess the overall thoroughness and effectiveness of the CGIP. Some of these inspected CoRE functional areas include programs familiar to most Marines, such as the Water Survival Training Program, the Physical Fitness and Combat Fitness Program, the Career Planning Program, and some vital, yet less well-known programs, such as the Marine Corps Safety Management System (MCSMS).
“The majority if not all the 48 functional areas that are included in the Commanding General’s inspections are a snapshot of how our younger Marines are being taken care of,” said Gunnery Sgt. Roneisha Owens, ground safety officer for 2nd MAW. “This office is a structured force of what servant leadership is designed to do. When we say we have an obligation to the health and welfare of our Marines, these inspections keep us honest.”
Owens works in 2nd MAW’s Wing Safety Office and is responsible for overseeing 2nd MAW’s MCSMS functional area. She was one of several 2nd MAW CoRE functional area managers who were individually recognized for outstanding performance during the 2024 CCI.
The purpose of the MCSMS is to provide a framework for managing safety and occupational health risks and opportunities. The aim and intended outcome of the MCSMS is to prevent injury and ill health to Marines and Sailors, and to provide safe and healthy places to work and live. MCSMS creates constant communication of risk management throughout all levels of leadership, ensures safety is implemented through continuous process improvement, and establish a culture of awareness through promotion of safety and training.
To be awarded the General Friedrich von Steuben Award, more than 30 functional area managers from across 2nd MAW headquarters were inspected by IGMC during the 2024 CCI. Their collective efforts ensured that 2nd MAW stood apart from peer units across the Marine Corps in inspection excellence. Superior management of its 48 CoRE functional areas is one of many ways that 2nd MAW leaders take care of their Marines, Sailors and families, ensure brilliance in the basics, attain and maintain mission excellence, and mitigate risk in everything they do.