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Q&A pt. II: Installation Policies/Facilities, Morale, and Personnel Issues and Professional Development

  • Published
  • By Col. Laura Lenderman
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Commander
Last week I ran the first in a series of "Q&A" articles, which are in response to questions asked during my last Commander's Call. This is the second article in the series. I'll be posting the responses to all of the questions on a Sharepoint site for future access and review. Please keep the questions coming!

INSTALLATION POLICIES / FACILITIES

Why did the Belleville gate start closing at 10 p.m.? When working nights, this adds an additional 10 minutes to my drive.

Before we took action to reduce the Belleville gate hours, we completed a traffic study and based on the results, we reduced the hours in order to help our Defenders come off 12-hr shifts (and 13-hr+ duty days). This decision was not taken lightly, but it was important to maintaining the long-term health of the security forces community that we adjust their duty day.

Any idea on if or when a brand new gym will be built? Is there any chance of getting a new 5-star fitness center soon?

A new gym has been at the top of my wish list. However, due to sequestration and fiscal constraints across the Department of Defense, higher priority mission requirements supersede funding this effort. In the meantime, we are installing over a million dollars' worth of new equipment at the Fitness Center and the James Gym. In addition, while winter weather has slowed progress on our outdoor fitness pavilion, we anticipate completing the project this spring, which will provide another great location to exercise. Additionally, renovations are currently underway at both fitness centers, which will improve the experience at these facilities.

Will the Mascoutah dorms ever be updated? There is black mold all over my room in Mascoutah.

In 2012, the Air Force looked at every dorm in the AF inventory, and all of Scott's dorms were weighted Q1 (which is the highest rating). The Air Force then racked and stacked all the dorms in the AF inventory in order to make the most efficient use of limited military construction dollars. The AF funded projects for dorms Q3 and Q2. At this point in time, the renovation of the Mascoutah Dorm has not made it up high enough on the list to be funded. However, every year we strive to make quality of life improvements to each dormitory. Residents with specific concerns are encouraged to address them with dormitory management. In response to the mold issue, residents are briefed on how to prevent mold/mildew buildup since the climate at Scott AFB tends to be very humid which makes it easy for mold/mildew to grow. Residents are advised to keep air flowing by using the ceiling fans installed in their rooms, as well as use the de-humidifiers to alleviate conditions that make it easy for mold/mildew to grow. Residents with a substantial mold issue in their living quarters must report the problem to dorm management, so they can take additional actions to mitigate the problem.

What kind of renovations are being done to the Health and Wellness Center?

Health Promotion, formerly known as the HAWC, has permanently moved from the Fitness Center to the 375th Medical Group. Health Promotion is located on the main floor of the Medical Group. All services, classes, and clinics are still being offered to include the body composition (BOD POD). The contact number also remains the same at 256-7139.

What drove the bowling alley to raise prices on everything? Paying $9 for a combo seems a bit overpriced. It is hard to support that facility at this point.

For several years, the prices at the Bowling Center remained constant and did not account for inflation. We recently revised the menu at the Bowling Center and set new prices. We feel the pricing is comparable to commercial off-base establishments, but please let the Bowling Center Staff know if you have ideas for additional menu items at lower price points. The Bowling Center staff aims to "strike" your hunger while leaving some change in your pocket to "spare."

Will there be any updates to parking on base? Are there any plans for new parking lots?

I'm happy to share that we recently completed a parking lot expansion on the west side of the U. S. Transportation Command and the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Center building. This added 222 car spaces and 11 motorcycle spaces. We also completed projects adding more than 200 parking spaces in the base's historic district near P40 and the base pool. In addition, our quarterly facilities board and traffic management board regularly assess the space requirements on base. If we assess the need to further increase parking spaces, we will do so, as funding permits. Likewise, the metro is a great alternative for those who live west of base. We also encourage carpooling to limit congestion on base. You can receive rebates from the government for using the metro and other mass transit, as well as regularly using carpooling programs, including RideShare. Please let me know if you need more information about RideShare.

Is it possible to get lines painted in the parking lot of the Airmen and Family Readiness Center and Education Center?

While we hoped to get funding at the end of FY15 to paint lines in the A&FRC parking lot, it remains on our "to-do" list as soon as funding becomes available and the weather permits painting.

MORALE

My morale is down and I'm not happy at my job. So who can I reach out to?

I am really sorry to hear that you are feeling down and unhappy in your job. My goal is for you to thrive on and off duty. Our Chaplains are always eager and available to talk. In addition, our Life Skills professionals can give tips on maintaining a healthy mental state. We also have a great resiliency program that I recently participated in that can give you some valuable tools. I encourage you to talk to your supervisor and work together to find opportunities to capitalize on your strengths and work on projects that you are passionate about. I also encourage you stay connected with your Wingman and consider volunteering for a worthy cause ... sometimes that is just thing to bring more joy in your life. You could also offer to take the lead in boosting morale in your office by leading a team-building event. That may be just the thing you and your teammates need to spark some enthusiasm and esprit de corps.

PERSONNEL ISSUES AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Can we expect a force reduction in 2016?

I do not expect a force reduction in FY16. In fact, the Active Duty end strength is rising over the next several years. However, we are holding a very small Reduction in Force for some civilian positions at Scott AFB.

Is Version 3 of the AF 910 final?

The AF is continuously evaluating and refining AF Forms 910 and 911 in response to feedback from the force. While there is no way to predict if version 3 is the final version, rest assured the final product will be reflective of the latest information and feedback.

For the MSgts who tested for SMSgt, there are a few whose EPRs have not been updated in the package? How is that going to affect their board scores?

The 375th Force Support Squadron confirmed with Air Force Personnel Center that all of our promotion-eligible MSgts had current EPRs in their record prior to the promotion board meeting. For awareness, any time a record meets a promotion opportunity without the full record or with incorrect information in the record, Airmen can submit a request to the Board for Correction of Military Records. If the required correction is serious enough, the record will meet a supplemental board.

Do you think the Air Force will ever get away from pushing career progression when people love the job they are doing and are great at it?

I believe the Air Force will continue to develop and challenge Airman to reach their full potential through continued career progression. However, I wanted to bring to your attention that the Department of Defense recently announced several new "Force of the Future" initiatives. One of the initiatives offers service members the opportunity to trade the ability to remain at a station of choice in exchange for an additional active duty service obligation. According to initial reports, when the needs of the force permit a service member to stay at their current location, the Department will empower commanders to make reasonable accommodations, in exchange for an additional service obligation. More to follow when this initiative further develops.

Will you offer extended paternity leave or bereavement passes? Do you see the Air Force switching to 12 weeks of maternity leave like some of the other branches have offered? I think we should get Paternity for 12 weeks also? What do you think?

As mentioned in the previous question, the Department of Defense recently announced several "Force of the Future" initiatives. One initiative includes extending fully paid maternity leave from six to 12 weeks across the Joint Force. The Secretary of Defense is also seeking authorities to extend paternity leave from 10 to 14 days. I am not aware of any changes associated with special passes, but will keep an eye out for any changes in this area.

Are there any plans for officer development initiatives at the wing level?

Airmen development is very important to me, and it's one of our wing's priorities in 2016, which I'll discuss further at my next commander's call March 10. In the interim and for awareness, the CGO Council holds many events throughout the year, to include hosting guest speakers and organizing speed mentoring events with senior NCOs, senior officers and general officers. In early March, the CGOS will host the 4th Annual CGO Leadership Forum where numerous general officers will share their leadership perspective as well as breakout sessions on various topics. This forum garnered attention command-wide, contributing to the Scott CGOC being named the 2014 CGOC of the Year for the entire Air Force.