NAS JRB Nets Third Zumwalt Award

FORT WORTH, Texas (NNS) -- The Navy Gateway Inn and Suites (NGIS) at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, was recognized as a winner of its third consecutive Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt Award for excellence in housing and lodging management in April.

The award evaluates Navy transient quarters against criteria very similar to commercial hotels. Each facility is awarded a three or four-star rating, but the five-star rating grants the accreditation of the Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt Award.

The NGIS was noted for its housekeeping and cleanliness as well as the staff's level of knowledge level and outstanding customer service, noted housing manager, Senior Chief Culinary Specialist James Spencer.

"The staff really went above and beyond preparing for [the evaluation], putting a lot of hours into it, crossing the 't's' and dotting the 'i's', making sure we met all the requirements for the accreditation checklist," said Spencer.

The Navy is standardizing and renaming all of its visitor quarters and combined bachelor housing offices under one name as NGIS. This way, the same services and comforts that one may receive at one base will be the same as those at any other base, according to Spencer.

"It's exciting. Words can't express all the hard work that went into it," said accounting supervisor, Sherle Roberts.

The Star Service Training Program was designed to train housing staff members for customer service. The week- long process of becoming "star service" certified, followed by a monthly refresher course definitely helped win the ward, explained Roberts.

The award is scheduled to be presented at the International Hotel/Motel and Restaurant Show at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City, in November.

For more news from Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, visit www.navy.mil/local/nasjrbfw/.