Sheppard Inn competes for Inns of Excellence title

  • Published
  • 82nd Services Division
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  A team of inspectors are set to put on their white gloves March 19 to determine if Sheppard lodging is "inn" or out among the best in Air Education and Training Command. 

The team arrives March 18 and will be on base until March 22 conducting their annual inspection during the AETC Inns of Excellence Evaluation. The team will conduct an in-depth assessment of the Sheppard Inn lodging operations using the Air Force Lodging Standards Checklist. 

"The checklist consists of over 420 items which make the inspection process very rigorous and leaves no stone unturned," said Phil Pence, the Sheppard Inn general manager. "This truly takes a team effort from the front desk, housekeeping, logistics and administration to compete at this level." 

Mr. Pence said personnel that keep the lodging facilities going have prepared for months in anticipation of the team's visit. He said employees of the facility have "what it takes to be the very best," now it's time to show it. 

The Sheppard Inn won the 2006 competition and went on to compete for the prestigious 2006 Air Force Innkeeper Award against all other major command representatives. 

Johnnie Phillips, director of the 82nd Services Division, said the Sheppard Inn has made phenomenal strides in improving guest services over the past several years. 

"They do it by the numbers and they do it right," he said. 

He said the management team and the entire staff has worked hard to get to this level of excellence, and now it's time to prove once again they're the best lodging operation in AETC. 

The Sheppard Inn has taken the last year to re-engineer itself from top to bottom bringing guest services to a new level. The Sheppard Inn now offers shuttle service to and from the Wichita Falls airport. Lodging has remodeled their Internet Café, "Irene's Place," and expanded their WiFi service to the new Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training international internet lounge on the second floor of Bldg. 1600. This free wireless internet service compliments their more traditional business center with computers and work stations located in the main lobby. 

The Sheppard Inn also offers an Early Arrival To Sheppard program where incoming families can request essential food items be placed in their temporary lodging facility units prior to arrival. This means families don't have to make an immediate trip to the Commissary and can take some time to settle in before the first grocery shopping trip.
Improvement is a non-stop process at the Sheppard Inn. In fiscal year 2006, the management team spent more than $1.37 million in command lodging funds to renovate 78 officer rooms and 48 TLF units. Those improvements to facilities have contributed significantly to enhance the "quality of life" for every traveler to Sheppard. 

First Lt. Alyssa Haufschild, chief of the 82nd SVS Combat Support Flight, said their challenge is to provide services comparable to finer civilian hotels, and training has been the key to the Sheppard Inn's success by providing outstanding service and top-notch facilities. 

"Training is a constant process in maintaining proficiency levels," she said. "The 'human' touch flows naturally from highly skilled people, each of them intent on providing the maximum service to each guest." 

Mr. Pence said what sets them apart from other competitors is the support received from the base. 

"With our diverse lodging operations, we need and receive the cooperation and support from nearly every organization on the base to make the Sheppard Inn a success," he said. "Brig. Gen. (Richard) Devereaux (82nd Training Wing commander) has put every possible resource at our disposal in preparation for the Inns of Excellence competition." 

Mr. Pence said the Sheppard Inn team learned from previous competition at the command and Air Force level, and those lessons learned will be used during this year's competition. Although being the named the best is the goal, it's not the real benchmark to success. 

"Win or lose, the real payoff is in improved service to our Sheppard Inn guests each and every day," he said. 

Team members are Janet McGowan, AETC Command Lodging Officer and Team Chief, Steve Ellison, Command Lodging Officer, Berdeen Rogers, Services Financial Management Analyst and Craig Ramsey, Altus Air Force Base, Okla., lodging general manager. Ms. McGowan and her team have more than 75 years of combined knowledge and experience in Air Force lodging and services operations.