Base housing townhall Aug. 15, Eglin gears up for privatization Published Aug. 1, 2013 By Brandon Masters Corvias Group EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- (Editor's note: Corvias Military Living, in partnership with the 96th Civil Engineer Group, will hold a town hall Aug. 15, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Eglin Air Force Base Conference Center so the leasing agent can explain what privitization means to base housing residents and answer any questions they may have.) Privatization of Eglin's family housing is rapidly approaching and Airmen, spouses and family members should start preparing for the initial stages of the transition. Beginning Sept.1, Corvias Military Living will assume responsibility for family housing on Eglin. As part of the transition process, all service members living in family housing are required to complete and sign the military-friendly lease referred to as the Resident Occupancy Agreement. Some families will need to obtain a special power of attorney prior to signing the ROA. If an Airman is deployed, the family needs to obtain this documentation. Different from a general power of attorney, which may have been signed before deployment, a special power of attorney is used for a specific purpose. The special power of attorney enables the spouse to sign the ROA and initiate the Basic Allowance for Housing allotment. "We know having a family member deployed can be stressful," said Mark Capovani, program manager, Corvias Military Living. "This was one of the first issues we wanted to address to give Airmen and their families enough time to plan." While the special power of attorney is only needed for families of deployed Airmen, all residents living in base housing will need their military identification card, a Leave and Earnings Statement, a Privacy Act form and pet documentation to sign the ROA. An ROA is the equivalent of a lease for a house rented off-base, except it has been written specifically for military families. The agreement is for a 12-month term, unless Permanent Change of Station or deployment orders require a shorter term. All residents in the home need to be identified on the agreement. Throughout the coming weeks, Corvias Military Living will conduct an information campaign to inform Airmen and their families about the new family housing requirements. During this campaign, the ROAs will be made available to sign. "We are excited to begin working with the Air Force," Capovani said. "We have partnerships with the U.S. Army at seven installations, and we are ready to bring the same level of award winning service to Eglin." For more information on the special power of attorney, call the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate at (850) 882-4611 or visit the website. Eglin, part of the Continental Group, is one of six Air Force bases added to the Corvias Military Living portfolio. Other installations in the Continental Group include: Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska; McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.; Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.; and Hurlburt Field, Fla.