Page 1 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, June 2 2017
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We build the future of airpower June 2017
Vol. 17, No. 6
INSIDE Thunderbolt receives Air Force
award for small business outreach
StorIES
ï® Making choices, 3 Story and photo by Tech Sgt.
ï® SecDef awards Tbolt, 4 LUTHER MITCHELL Jr.
ï® Community ‘Blitz,’ 5
ï® Improving Airmen’s 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
lives, 5 The Air Force Small Business Program
ï® PCS privileges, 12 awarded Luke Thunderbolt, Mary Peetz,
the 2016 Small Business Specialist Award
FEAtUrE for her excellent work advocating small
businesses for the warfighter.
Airman 1st Class Caleb Worpel Mary Peetz, 56th Contracting Squadron director of business operations/small busi-
For almost a decade Peetz, 56th Con- ness specialist, received the Air Force Small Business Specialist Award for excellent
PARALYMPIANS TRAIN AT LUKE tracting Squadron director of business work advocating small businesses for the warfighter.
operations/small business specialist, has
See Page 18 led Luke in ranking top within Air Educa-
tion and Training Command for meeting
Continue to get Luke’s latest its small business goals. nesses,†Peetz said. “The wing is given for subcontracting opportunities, how to
news and information from goals for how many dollars we award to do businesses with Luke AFB, what a
these sources: http://www.aero- “It’s been seven years now that we have those specific socioeconomic categories.†government purchase card is and what
been number one in AETC for meeting we buy on this card.â€
technews.com/lukeafb/, our small business goals,†Peetz said. Peetz has organized small business
http://www.luke.af.mil “We did this by awarding more dollars to training workshops, rewritten Air Force Peetz has also helped a number of major
small businesses than anyone else in the Instruction on small business practices, commands develop Facebook pages for
and social media command.†piloted courses for the small business their small business program.
career field and created an expanding
Luke56thFW @LukeAFB As a small business specialist, Peetz Facebook presence to educate small busi- Her effective team leadership propels
reviews requirements and ensures small nesses. her beyond the call of duty to accomplish
Date of publication businesses are considered. the mission.
“For the past three years, I have been
First Friday “Every purchase requirement with a a member of an Air Force training cell “Ms. Peetz brings everything together,â€
value more than $10,000 dollars must team that writes the small business Air Smith said. “Often contracting and the
of the month come across my desk,†Peetz said. “We Force Instruction, organizes Defense De- acquisition process can be daunting both
have to look first at small businesses partment and Air Force small business for customers and contractors who want
Submission deadline when determining our acquisition ap- workshops and develops management to work with the Air Force. Ms. Peetz is
proach. This year, 91 percent of every inspection checklists,†Peetz said. “That’s able to effectively communicate with both
15th day of the month dollar spent went to a small business.†a big part of what I do as a small business the customers and prospective contractors
specialist. I decided to create a Facebook to ensure Airmen get the products and
prior to date of publication Meeting small business goals takes page as a public place to post require- services they need to accomplish their
dedication and reflects highly on Peetz’s ments for small businesses more than five mission day in and day out. Our squadron
Veterans ability to lead this effort. years ago. I currently have over 600 small is thrilled to have the Air Force affirm
businesses that follow the page. In addi- what we already know -- Ms. Peetz is
Tell us Your Story “This is a huge win for the unit,†said tion, it helps me share information such truly top notch both as a small business
Active-duty, Reserve, Retirees Lt.Col. Rochelle Smith, 56th CONS com- as Luke Air Force Base prime contractors specialist and as a consummate contract-
All military branches are included mander. “We place a lot of emphasis on ing professional.
sourcing to small businesses in our ac-
Email name, phone number and a quisition planning and execution. Helping
brief description of your service to small businesses isn’t always easy, but
this award reminds all of us the effort is
deborah.leuthold@us.af.mil appreciated at the Air Force level. MS.
Peetz outreach to small businesses has
created a level of partnership unparal-
leled at the bases I have seen in the last
16 years.â€
Peetz has excelled at meeting the 56th
Fighter Wing’s small business goals and
employs more than 200 small business
contractors. These companies provide
everything from computers that sit on Air-
men’s desks to base operations at Barry
M. Goldwater Range.
“The 56th Fighter Wing is given goals
to support small business to include
women-owned, HUBZone, service disabled
veterans, and small disadvantage busi-
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