Enlisted Heritage Hall takes 2009 AETC award Published April 30, 2009 By Carl Bergquist Air University Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Winning the Air Education and Training Command's annual Heritage Award has almost become a tradition for Gunter's Enlisted Heritage Hall museum. Maj. Gen. Anthony Przybyslawski, AETC vice commander, announced March 10 that EHH won the Heritage Award for the eleventh straight year. The award is part of the AETC History and Museums Program Awards for 2009. Bill Chivalette, EHH curator, said while the museum normally enters only one exhibit for the award, this year four exhibits were entered as a package. They consisted of the Senior Airman Jason Cunningham Air Force Cross display; the Air Force Cross Memorial pedestals that adorn the outside entrance to the museum; the Sgt. Archibald Mathies Medal of Honor exhibit; and the Air Force Cross exhibit that was completely refurbished. "The staff is proud of winning the award because we go up against museums that sometime spend as much as a $100,000 on an exhibit," he said. "I think a key to our winning is the time we spend researching our exhibits. On average, seven to 10 years is spent making sure every detail is correct. We feel an obligation to the enlisted corps to do the best we can, and if we win an award, that is great, but that is not our key motivation." In a letter to Chief Master Sgt. Rick Fanning, Enlisted Heritage Research Institute director, General Przybyslawski conveyed his congratulations for the award and for creating an "interesting array of exhibits" that demonstrate the achievements of Air Force enlisted personnel. "In honoring these dedicated Airmen, you have increased the historical awareness of your students and all the visitors who view these splendid displays," the general said in the letter. "We applaud your accomplishments and wish you the very best in the Air Force competition." Chief Fanning said winning the award is "really nice," but he is now thinking about what is next for the museum. He said EHH has more than 180 exhibits and 2,000 artifacts on display in the 7,000 square-foot facility, and the staff is presently working on about 38 additional exhibits. "We do the exhibits not so much for the larger audience but to show respect for the people involved in the exhibit," he said. "Displaying former Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Paul Airey's CMSAF ring is an example of showing respect to Chief Airey and is not done to win an award." Chief Fanning said winning at the AETC-level puts the EHH exhibits in the running for Air Force-level awards. He said he and Mr. Chivalette will attend the 2009 Air Force History and Museums Program World-Wide Conference in May, and Air Force-level award winners will be announced during the conference. Air Force awards are presented to winners by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Mr. Chivalette said he regards the 2009 Heritage Award, and all the other awards EHH has won, as a team effort on the part of the EHRI staff. "Whenever you put together something like this, it is a team effort. Everyone did their job well, so the award is definitely a team award," he said.