ACE an excellent opportunity for Airmen Published May 30, 2012 By Staff Sgt. Austin M. May 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs RAF MILDENHALL, England -- Integrity first, Service before self and Excellence in all we do. Anyone who's spent a day in the United States Air Force knows the core values by which we live our lives; the meanings behind them are taught to new Airmen before they even put on a uniform. They represent a commitment Airmen willingly take on when they volunteer to serve in this particular branch of the military, and each is as important as the others. But only one makes a cool acronym. And thus, although they are just as committed to integrity and service, the professional organization for the junior enlisted tier of Team Mildenhall is officially known as Airmen Committed to Excellence. ACE is run by Airmen, for Airmen, according to Airman 1st Class Patrick Bertussi, the organization's president, who said their official purpose is to "cultivate leaders, serve the community and promote unity amongst Airmen." "One of the purposes of our meetings is to assist Airmen from the junior enlisted tier to adapt to military requirements and to be highly productive members of the Air Force," Bertussi said in an email. Assisting the Airmen with this at the meetings is a wide variety of guest speakers who lend their expertise and experience in an equally wide variety of topics. "At the conclusion of each meeting, we leave with broadened perspectives and extensive knowledge relevant to our careers," Bertussi said. ACE meets monthly to discuss anything from deployments to relationships, but that's far from the only thing they do. According to ACE secretary Airman 1st Class Joshua Morton, the organization also plans volunteer activities both on base and in the local community, sports tournaments, visits to local (and not-so-local) attractions and fundraisers. They also help Airmen who want to organize their own events. "There are so many ways that Airmen can benefit from joining the organization," Morton said. "It's a great way to meet people, great way to get out, get accustomed to life in the Air Force and it also relays a message of dedication and drive to your chain of command." Members of ACE truly embody the spirit of Airmen helping Airmen. In January they started a mentorship program in which experienced Airmen volunteered to help incoming first-term Airmen acclimate to their new environment if in need of assistance. "Basically, the mentors would show new Airmen around the tri-base area and assist them with acquiring basic services such as internet and new cell phones," Bertussi said. That's only one of the projects ACE has taken on recently, and more are on the horizon. June 20 they will assist the President's Sporting Club/Essex Disabled Sports Foundation by hosting a Sports Experience Day. "We will be supporting over 500 children with disabilities from Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire," Bertussi said. "We also have several other community service projects planned for the rest of the year." While membership in ACE is restricted to the lowest four ranks of the enlisted force, anyone can get involved - especially through their own tier's professional organization. "We receive help and guidance from various organizations such as Team 5/6, Top 3, and [Air Force Sergeant's Association]," Morton said. Anyone who feels they can contribute to the success of ACE, be it by joining or acting as a guest speaker, can contact Bertussi or show up to one of their meetings, which are held at the Galaxy Club the second Thursday of each month. Guest speaker spots are limited and should be coordinated in advance. However, even those who can't find the time to attend a meeting can help. "I think the best support that anyone could give us regardless of rank or position is just informing everyone they know about ACE," Morton said.