SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Please keep the questions coming!
INSTALLATION & FACILITIES
Because of the DFAC’s recent renovation, the menu has been limited and of poor quality. I understand that the DFAC must stay open due to the mission; however, it has been a great inconvenience to me and many other Airmen. Some days, food quality is so poor, the only resort is going somewhere else to purchase food. This limits the amount of money we have to cover other personal expenses. Is there any way that BAS can be temporarily adjusted so that we can purchase food in these situations?
Thank you for your question and for your understanding as we improve our DFAC. Though there was a brief period in which we had to provide limited menu items due to renovations, but we are thankfully now back to full capacity regarding the variety of offered items.
At first glance, it may look like we’re offering less because it’s now organized differently and spread across the serving line, but our DFAC team has worked diligently to provide everything possible. If you find an item that does not meet standards, please let our DFAC Manager, Mr. Jones, or one of our other members know. They will be happy to listen to your feedback and will do their best to either correct the error on the spot or remove the food from the serving line to ensure other customers are not affected. If you have suggestions for additional food items you’d like us to include on the menu, please let us know, and we’ll do our best to accommodate.
I have a question regarding the prioritization of parking lot repairs. I noticed that the parking lot in front of the Satellite Pharmacy is undergoing major repairs, and while those repairs are deeply appreciated, the parking lot by the Vet Clinic seems to be a total disaster and poses a significant hazard to smaller vehicles. Additionally, will the parking lot at the CDC be resurfaced as well? The parking lines can barely be seen anymore, and it forces some to park crooked.
Thank you very much for your questions. We have good news … the repairs to the parking lot adjacent to the Vet Clinic have already been funded, and construction will begin upon completion of the Vet Clinic addition, which is estimated to be completed in October 2017. Additionally, the CDC parking lots are currently in the process of being repaired. The parking lot pavement, the curbs, and sidewalks will be entirely replaced. The construction schedule is highly dependent on the weather, but we expect construction to be completed by the end of May 2017.
I am PCSing within the next 45 days. I called Base Lodging to reserve a TLF and was told that there were not any available due to the TLF renovations. Additionally, I was told that I needed to call back every three-five days to check the status because no wait list is available. Furthermore, I was informed that a non-availability letter (or the equivalent) would not be issued until the time of the needed reservation. This only compounds the stress in an already stressful situation. Not to mention, someone calling in for the first time may be fortunate enough to call in on the “right” day and get a room before those of us calling regularly. Is it possible to create a wait list for those of us trying to use base facilities rather than forcing us to call-in on a regular basis to check for availability?
Please accept our sincere apologies for causing undue stress and frustration during an already stressful PCS season. We do have a TLF waitlist, and if TLFs are not available, guests should be automatically placed on the waitlist and contacted if space subsequently becomes available. Your case was an oversight on the part of our staff, and we have reviewed the policy with them to ensure this does not happen in the future. Again, please accept our apologies for adding stress to an already stressful situation. If you have any further questions, please contact our Lodging Front Desk Manager, Whisper Beecher, at 256-5275, Opt 2.
MISCELLANEOUS
While looking through the 375th AMW’s EIM page I noticed that some of the advertised information is not there. For instance, the I.C.E. Airman page suggests to “click the photos to view bios,” but there is no link to the members’ bios on the photos. After an unsuccessful search for an EIM Facilitator’s email address, I decided an Action Line was the next best bet.
Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Thanks to your feedback, our Knowledge Operations Team is working closely with the Public Affairs office to correct and update the 375th AMW EIM SharePoint site by adding a link to the ICE Airmen accomplishments. Please let me know if you see any additional issues or have suggestions to improve our EIM site. Thank you!
I have several American Flags that are beyond repair and are no longer fit to display. According to the online USA Flag Site, “American Legion Posts and local governments often have facilities to dispose of unserviceable flags.” Are you aware of any local facilities that provide proper disposal of the American Flag?
Great question! Yes, we have a few ways to dispose of unserviceable American flags. One method is via the Scott AFB Boy Scout Troop, Troop #5 led by Scout Master Bob Hughs. They are willing to collect tattered US flags and perform a proper disposal of them for us. Mr. Hughs’ contact information is: bobhughs@yahoo.com or robert.g.hughs.mil@mail.mil. There are also distribution boxes at several local VFW’s. The one that we frequently use is the O’Fallon VFW Post 805 located at 221 W. St., O’Fallon, IL 62269, (618) 624-6575.
I live south of Ironton, Mo., and I understand that the pilots have to practice, but I didn’t think they were supposed to fly below 1,000 feet. It seems pretty dangerous. Are the pilots allowed to fly that low?
Thank you for your question and concern for our Airmen’s safety. The airspace over and around Ironton has a number of military training routes that military aircraft are approved to use. Some of these training routes allow “visual flight” at altitudes as low as 300 feet above the ground level. While aircraft assigned to Scott AFB do not use these particular training routes, aircraft from other military installations may use them when approved by the controlling agency. These aircraft are likely the aircraft you observed. Thank you for again for your question and concern.