An Air Force team that is helping facilitate a major land development project at Hill Air Force Base has been cited by the service's chief of staff, Gen. Norton Schwartz, for excellence.

Schwartz presented the Team Excellence Award to Hill's Enhanced Use Lease Team, which is coordinating the building of the Falcon Hill commercial development on the base's west side, at a ceremony on Tuesday.

The Hill team was commended for being one of five groups in the Air Force that will save the military billions of dollars over time. The Falcon Hill project will allow commercial development of more than 500 acres of underused land at the base. In return, the commercial developer has agreed to replace aging and antiquated buildings in other areas of the base, resulting in at least $180 million in new construction.

"Your efforts lay the foundation for further improvements," Schwartz said in announcing the awards. "This is what we need to do as a matter of routine. Because these efforts do make a difference and help continue to make a better Air Force we all aspire to have."

-- Matthew D. LaPlante