Leadership ensures quality-of-life improvements reach Airmen

  • Published
  • By Amy Rollins
  • Skywrighter Staff

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Improving the quality of life for Airmen at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is one of the main priorities of Col. Bradley McDonald, 88th Air Base Wing commander.

This priority has led to the installation of brand-new appliances, technology and furnishings in dormitories and state-of-the-art fitness equipment in the Dodge, Jarvis and Wright Field Fitness Centers.

About 450 unaccompanied Airmen, including technical school students, live in five dormitory buildings in Kittyhawk Center, Area A. The Airmen are now enjoying improvements to their living environment, thanks to $71,500 in funding support this year from the 88 ABW, and $640,000 during the previous two years and $674,000 this year from Air Force Materiel Command and the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center.

“These projects and investments are providing a huge quality-of-life benefit for the single and unaccompanied members currently stationed here and for the Airmen who will replace them,” said Col. Bradley McDonald, 88 ABW commander. “Our Airmen work tirelessly to fulfill our mission and so we need to work just as hard to support them.”

The improvements, concerning all-new items, include:

  • furnishings – couches, tables, lamps and more for the dorm common areas

  • appliances, ranging from 27 combination stove/microwave ovens and dishwashers to 36 clothes washers and 55 dryers

  • housekeeping supplies, such as coffee pots, laundry carts and 14 vacuums

  • technology, including upgraded Wi-Fi routers installed in four dorms for better internet access; video game consoles placed in the dayrooms; and a 70-inch flat-panel television placed in one of the dayrooms

  • sanitary equipment, such as hand blowers in the restrooms

“We received tremendous financial support from higher headquarters to make some prudent purchases to bring our dormitories up to current living standards,” McDonald said. “We want these rooms and common areas to feel just like home … because that is what it is.”

The investments in infrastructure were due, according to the wing’s senior advisor for enlisted affairs.

“It is important that our Airmen have a safe and comfortable place to live,” said Chief Master Sgt. Lisa Arnold, 88 ABW command chief. “They work hard every day to carry out not only Team Wright-Patterson’s mission but also our Air Force mission, and we need to ensure that the dorm residents have a great environment to come home to each and every day.”


Master Sgt. Wayne Gatewood, superintendent of unaccompanied housing for the 88th Civil Engineering Group, said, “This is my fifth Air Force base assignment, and I’ve never seen a wing take more interest in their Airmen. I’ve lived in four dormitories during my career, and I’ve never seen as many improvements as I’ve seen here. If our Airmen really truly knew how much the wing leadership fights for what the Airmen want, they’d be amazed.”

“We have done everything we can to promote higher usage of the dayrooms,” said David Bowen, unaccompanied housing manager, “and draw Airmen from their rooms to form tighter bonds and camaraderie with one another. With the help of senior leadership, we have put maximum funding and maximum effort into these projects.”


The large smart TVs and football season go especially well together, Gatewood said.


Airman 1st Class Charles Williamson, an air traffic controller in the 88th Operations Support Squadron, said he is especially excited the 88th Communications Group is establishing LAN access on a CAC-enabled computer in the dayrooms.


“I’ll be able to check my email so I don’t have to go to my duty station if I’m on leave,” he said. “Things are a lot better now. The upgrades have been very nice to see.”


Gatewood said that wing leadership, including Arnold, regularly meets with Airman dorm leaders to provide updates about the dormitories and to address any concerns Airmen might have. Gatewood and the Airman dorm leaders advise the dorm council, comprised of Airmen dorm residents. The council provides ideas to the dorm leaders and holds events for the Airmen. Each building also has a dorm chief who is an Airman living in the dorms. These Airmen are the eyes and ears for the Airman dorm leaders when they’re not available.


“My primary job here is mentorship for the Airmen and to ensure quality-of-life issues are taken care of. The safety and security of our Airmen is our primary focus,” Gatewood said.


While the dorms have seen major improvements, so have the base’s fitness centers, leading to Airmen warriors being in shape and ready to deploy. Dodge, Jarvis and Wright Field Fitness Centers have more than $1 million worth of new, state-of-the-art fitness equipment.

“Our Airmen must be ready to deploy to perform their mission in often grueling conditions overseas,” McDonald said. “They have to be physically fit and capable and that requires training your body. This new equipment will help our Airmen train more effectively and be more fit.”

Installation of new equipment was completed in the Dodge and Jarvis gyms in August. Wright Field Fitness Center had the new equipment installed in February.


All told, 317 new pieces of equipment have been installed in all three gyms, replacing 264 older items that weighed some 31,500 pounds.

Also, the outdoor half-mile track in Area B has been resurfaced with a rubberized material that is better for runners. This track is being certified by the USA Track and Field Federation for distance accuracy.


Jarvis Fitness Center remains a 24/7 facility for those with properly coded access cards.


Airmen who wish to get their common access cards coded to access to Jarvis are welcome to do so Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Even more fitness improvements are on their way as the apron, liner and gutter systems of the Dodge Fitness Center indoor pool will be replaced sometime during the upcoming months, said Brian Colonna, Community Services flight chief, 88th Force Support Squadron.

“It is going to be somewhat seamless to Airmen and base customers,” he said. “It’s mostly internal but it will maintain the investment the 88th Air Base Wing has made.”

 

  • Bryan Ripple and Eugene Barnett Jr., 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs, contributed to this story.