U.S. Air Force Fact Sheet COMMANDERS' ACTION LINE 2009 ARCHIVE Mandatory H1N1 vaccine for children (Dec. 17) Q: I received notification today that if I wish to continue services for my daughter with Eglin Family Child Care and her home daycare provider then she will have to receive the H1N1 vaccine. I do not understand how it can be mandatory for my daughter to receive this vaccine. A: I value your concerns and understand your hesitancy; however, we have been directed by headquarters Air Force A1S to follow the 2009 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, plus any newly issued CDC recommendations. In light of the recent outbreaks of the influenza strain, H1N1, additions have been issued to the requirements for admission into AF child care programs as follows: "Vaccinations for additional Influenza strains (i.e., H1N1) are considered seasonal and fall within established guidance published by the CDC. Our directions require children to receive the vaccine as soon as it is available in addition to the seasonal vaccination. I have attached a copy of the HQ USAF/A1S directive for your review. We appreciate you taking the time to express your concerns and hope your question was answered satisfactorily and that you and your daughter will continue to use our Family Child Care and home day care providers given the new guidance from HQ USAF. Directional signage around BX/commissary (Dec 1) Q: There is concern about the lack of signage directing visitors off-base or to the highways from the BX and commissary area. A: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I agree it can be confusing leaving the Base Exchange (BX) and Commissary complex if you are not familiar with the base. We have looked at the possibility of adding directional signs for visitors leaving the BX/Commissary area but unfortunately we can't justify the expense of additional signs at this time. To add more directional signs to the multiple sign frames we now have in place would require buying new frames as well as new signs. As responsible stewards of taxpayer's money we don't think this would be the best choice for the limited funds we receive. McKinley Road Closure (Nov) Q: Why wasn't the closure of Eglin Blvd by The McKinley Climatic Laboratory planned out ahead of time to allow people an opportunity to plan their travel accordingly? A: We greatly apologize for any inconvenience this caused. The extremely thick fog with no wind took a significant amount of time to clear enough for the Security Police to let traffic safely start moving again. During a thermal shock test, the chamber temperature is changed very rapidly from a warm temperature to a very cold temperature by dumping cold air quickly and allowing warm air to escape outside which leads to fog conditions. When performing this test in the future, other accommodations, such as adjusting test start times, will be made to greatly reduce any possible amount of time traffic needs to be stopped and hopefully, eliminate it. Bowling center air condition problems (Sept 21) Q: There have been numerous complaints about the Bowling Center air condition. Sometimes is works, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it drips condensation onto the lanes. Are there any plans to replace this flawed system - not just for comfort, but safety as well? A: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. The air conditioning in the Bowling Center could be better and we fully understand how uncomfortable it can become especially during busy league bowling events. The biggest challenge we have cooling this facility is the age and condition of the air conditioning system. The system is over 20-years old and requires hundreds of maintenance hours yearly to keep it functioning. The bowling center management team has submitted an AF Form 332 for a new H-VAC system which is our long term fix, and we are diligently working to secure funding for this much needed project. In the mean time, CE will continue to maintain the system to the best of their ability while looking for ways to improve the operation of the system such as adding insulation to ductwork and improving air flow. We appreciate the time you took to provide us feedback and encourage you to continue to do so. If we can provide any additional details, on this, or any other matter, please do not hesitate to ask. Duke Field traffic light (Sept 14) Q: Why is the Duke Field traffic lights being activated one and a half years prior to the new 7th Special Forces Group base standing up? A: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. The traffic signal is in place now to improve the safety of the intersection due to construction traffic that will be entering the 7th Special Force Group area west of Highway 85. As you may know, new construction has already started there and we expect an increase in demand for access to the construction site by slow moving, heavy construction equipment. The traffic signal will improve safety for those requiring access to the construction site, existing Duke Field traffic and the motoring public in general using Highway 85. West Gate traffic (Aug 31) Q: Is it possible to institute a shift change at 0545 to alleviate the congested West Gate traffic (between 0550 and 0605) or does the 15 minute shift change cause greater impacts to the end of the shift schedule? A: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Unfortunately, the 96 SFS current manning posture does not allow modifications to shift change requirements, primarily due to the manning required to cover all base gates over a full 24-hour period. Rest assured, traffic patterns around the West Gate, shift hours of 96 SFS personnel and manning of our installation gates have been evaluated over long periods of time. The current shift hours were established to ensure the best service and convenience to all customers during peak traffic hours of daily operation at our gates throughout the day, as well as guard against threats towards our installation. Speeding vehicle identified on Hwy 85 (Aug 25) Q: Coworkers and I have witnessed a vehicle speeding on Highway 85 driving recklessly on more than one occasion. We have his license plate number and noticed the car has an Eglin sticker on it. How can we inform the driver of the danger he is imposing? A: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Your report is very serious and we are concerned for the safety of military and civilian personnel both on and off base. Any time you witness an individual driving in a reckless manner please notify the Security Forces Control Center at 882-2502 or local police agencies as soon as possible and as safely as possible. The 96th Security Forces Squadron will do everything possible to make contact with the violator or direct you to the police agency responsible for the area that the violation occurs. Cars going the wrong way on 4th Street (Aug 17) Q: It has become a more regular occurrence for vehicles to travel the wrong way down the one way street located between Bldg. 260 & Bldg. 252, which is the street where the library parking lot is located. It has happened three times last week and once already this afternoon - and it's only Monday. Many people do it to take a shortcut to the library parking lot. The people traveling have been lucky so far but next time someone may not be able to dodge oncoming traffic. Perhaps bigger, brighter 'Do not Enter' signs or maybe something more effective like the spikes located by training building. A: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We share your concern for motorist safety and assigned a civil engineer technician to review your proposal. Although there are posted "one-way" signs at each entry/exit point on 4th street, we agree improvements can be added by installing additional visual warnings. The area with greatest potential for driver violations is turning against the flow of traffic when traveling from "D" avenue onto 4th street. To heighten awareness we will install two "Do Not Enter" signs on 19-Aug with standardized symbol on each side of 4th Street facing towards "D" avenue. In addition we will paint a directional arrow on the pavement to reinforce one-way flow of traffic. Although driver awareness is the most effective means to safe travel, situations such as this require further measures to hopefully prevent accidents. Anytime you see or hear anything, which concerns you, I encourage you to inform your Chain of Command. Closing two outside concession areas at BX (Aug 17) Q: The two food concessions in front of the BX will be closed for one week starting 16 Aug 09. Why are they closing and what can be done about this? A: Thank you for taking the time to comment on your concerns regarding the closing of two of our temporary food activities, Gyro Zone and the Ohana Grill. Over the past several months, these two food establishments have developed a loyal and dedicated following from personnel assigned to Eglin, due to their professional customer service and the quality of food offered. We realize they were able to provide a menu that was not offered at our direct-operated food facilities. In fact, all of our AAFES food facilities from Burger King to Taco Bell have shown healthy growth due to the support of the Eglin Community. Gyro Zone and Ohana Grill were contracted under a short term agreement, which limits the duration of time per contract. After a certain period of time, AAFES is required to pursue a proper legal solicitation process to include all parties interested in providing this type of service. Unfortunately, the Eglin Base Exchange cannot accommodate a location to provide this service on a permanent contract. Gyro Zone and Ohana Grill will be authorized to operate for a shorter duration of time when there are special events such as Tent Sales, carnivals and other unforeseen influx of personnel, due to training exercises or natural disasters. So, we might be able to bring them back at a future date, for a limited time. Anytime you see or hear anything, which concerns you with our AAFES facilities, don't hesitate to contact the AAFES business office, at (850) 678-6042. West Gate suggestion (July 19) Q: Would it be possible for Eglin to work with the county to turn the right hand turn lane at the hospital gate into a regular lane to go straight into the West Gate? Since the base has no plans to re-open the hospital gate, and traffic regularly backs up from Shalimar, having three lanes to enter the base would speed things up. Although many cars already utilize this lane to go straight, it would be less confusing if the road lines and arrows identified it as such. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Anything you can do to alleviate the back-ups and frustrations in the morning would be greatly appreciated. A: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. You are not alone in your concern regarding the recent traffic increase and backup during the morning commute at Eglin's West Gate. The Security Forces Squadron also identified this requirement several months ago and Civil Engineering is developing a work order to accomplish the work which will require partial removal of the median in the old hospital entrance and re-striping the traffic lane. This work will need to be completed prior to any restriping of the county road. Civil Engineering will coordinate with the county to ensure proper striping of the intersection after the work is complete. After completion, this work will facilitate entrance to Eglin's West Gate by converting the existing turn lane into a straight through lane. Currently the work order is being staffed for available manpower and possible year end funding. 4. We appreciate your concern and certainly share your sentiments towards improving traffic across Eglin AFB. Thrift shop too hot to shop (July 15) Q: Is there a plan to fix or replace the air condition unit at the Eglin Thrift Shop? It is excessively hot and directly effects the time I spend shopping due to the heat. That would seem to impact it financially as well. A: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and discomfort you experienced on a recent visit. Unfortunately, the AC unit within the Thrift Shop facility has been experiencing compressor issues and has been breaking down frequently. Our Civil Engineers have consistently responded in the past when the system breaks and currently CE has a project to install a new AC unit package with an estimated completion date around October 2009. This new unit will provide a comfortable environment that will enhance both the customers' shopping experience and working conditions for its employees. Anytime you see or hear anything, which concerns you, I encourage you to bring it to our attention. Morning traffic (June 24) Q: Can we enter the North Gate to relieve the East Gate traffic between 6:30 and 8 a.m.? A: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. On the average, more than 5,000 vehicles enter the installation daily. Currently, the West, East, and ACC gates are opened for all inbound installation traffic. In accordance with Department of Defense directives, each installation must have a separate commercial vehicle gate, which for us, is the North Gate. Through traffic studies, the 96th Security Forces Squadron has found that two guards per lane, with multiple lanes opened, is the most efficient process to expedite traffic onto the installation. We will try to do everything possible to expedite traffic through the gates. Anytime you have an emergency, please do not hesitate to contact the Security Forces Control Center at 882-2502. Speeding in base housing (June 19) Q: Can you help me put an end to the speeding on Azalea Dr. in base housing before someone's child gets hurt? There are 15 children ranging from the ages of nine months to 14 years old that play outside. A: The 96th Security Forces Squadron attempts to conduct selective traffic enforcement patrols routinely across the housing areas to help control speeding as part of our zero tolerance policy on Eglin. It is a primary focus of our traffic enforcement program. As a result of your concerns, the 96th SFS will conduct selective traffic enforcement throughout the next several days on Azalea Drive. We have also placed a Speed Monitoring Awareness Radar Trailer to deter drivers from speeding in that area. Hopefully, these increased traffic enforcement procedures will reduce the serious safety concern. Anytime you see these types of traffic violations, please do not hesitate to contact the Law Enforcement Desk at the Crime Stop number, 882-2777. Thank you for your letter to the Commander's Action Line. Honor Guard (June 9) Q: As a Patriot Guard member, I supported a mission honoring a 22-year Air Force veteran, Tech. Sgt. Gerald Cramer, at his memorial services at Whitehurst Funeral Home and Live Oak Baptist Cemetery Apr. 29. As an attendee of this service and many others with military honors, I was touched and felt compelled to report how professional your team (members of the Eglin Honor Guard) conducted their task. I've attended services at Arlington National Cemetery, D.C., and know your teams' performance would equal or exceed any I've witnessed. They should certainly be recognized for a job well done. Emotions are at their peak during these services and your Honor Guard definitely helped the family endure their loss. A: It is my distinct privilege to thank you for taking the time to recognize our Eglin Honor Guard team. These Airmen selflessly give their on and off-duty time to support this vital mission honoring our fallen heroes with the utmost dignity. It gives me great pride in knowing that Eglin's Honor Guard is one of the very best in the Air Force; they continue to set the bar for excellence among their peers in professionalism and scope of mission. Beyond supporting services near the Eglin local area, our team conducts ceremonies covering 20 counties in both Florida and Alabama--one of the largest in the Air Force. To serve this broad area of commitment, the Eglin Honor Guard is comprised of members from every wing on base; the Airmen join the team with a variety of backgrounds representing the full spectrum of Air Force specialties, from aircraft maintainers to personnelists. This vast experience allows the team to draw from the diverse backgrounds of multiple individuals in order to build an outstanding team. I am proud of our Honor Guard and appreciate the time you took to recognize their efforts. I will ensure that your message is passed along to our Honor Guard team. Craft Skills Center (June 8) Q: Recently, I went to the Craft Skills Center on base to cut a paper mat for a picture. Although the sign on the door states, "no self-help after 3:00 p.m.," I was told because the shop is understaffed and no longer receive financial support, they cannot provide any self-help at anytime and only paying customers with work orders will be accepted. Even with a work order, it would take a minimum of three weeks to have a mat cut. Isn't this supposed to be a self-help store? A: Thank you for your comments. We certainly appreciate your patronage for this service. As a result of your feedback to the Action Line, we have, in fact, reevaluated our service, and have decided changes are in order. During the day, once certified on equipment, self help framing will be available by appointment Monday-Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Certification will be done at the Wednesday class at the facility, which is from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. If help is needed for special projects or unique cases, the instructor on Wednesday nights will be happy to assist or for normal framing questions our staff on duty during the day will be glad to help. The center also looked at the current space for self help and found it inadequate and is developing a plan to enlarge the area. We hope to have a new area within the next few months. Unfortunately, this facility only has one dry mount machine for the framing resale office. We hope to purchase a new one for the self help area later this year, if funding becomes available. Regardless, we will continue to strive to improve these facilities for our customers. No more salutes at the gate (MAY 19) Q. I've noticed some of the gate guards are wearing new uniforms and are no longer providing any military courtesy--they are merely waving personnel through. Is this due to a new contract for gate guard services? A. Thank you for bringing this to our attention--it provides us with a great opportunity to address changes with our civilian guard force. The civilian guards in new uniforms are not contractors--they are newly hired Department of the Air Force (DAF) civilians. Since 9/11, over 50 DAF civilian guards have been employed by our Security Forces Squadron. Throughout the past year, the AF Security Forces Center and the 96th Security Forces Squadron have been evaluating use of the DAF civil service guards and have determined that changes are appropriate to delineate our military security forces from our civilian force. The Air Force Security Forces Center has provided new standards for DAF civilian guard employees and we are in the process of implementing those changes. AF Manual 31-201, Vol 3, currently in draft, stipulates that all civilian guard employees will no longer render salutes and by January 2010, all DAF civilian employees will comply with the new standards. In the past, saluting by the civilian and contractor guards has been a courtesy rendered because they wore BDUs and were often times confused as military members. You may have already noticed, DAF civilian guards at Hurlburt Field have already implemented the changes and no longer render salutes; Eglin will soon implement the same changes--DAF civilian guards will no longer render salutes. I sincerely hope and expect that you are always treated with courtesy and professionalism while entering Eglin AFB. I would ask for patience and understanding as Eglin transitions to a new look at our gates and implements new Air Force policy. We are confident that our customer service, and most importantly security, will not be compromised during this transition. Customer Service desk at MPF --- (April 30) Q: Can you address the problems with the customer service section at Bldg 210 (MPF)? Last month, I had to wait an hour and 15 minutes with 20 other people during the lunch time rush. Can the lunch break schedule be adjusted to help with the influx of customers during these times? Also, the employees were very slow and carried on loud personal conversations while helping customers. A: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. My apologies for the less than satisfactory service you experienced during your recent visit to our Customer Services section. This is the first negative comment I have received about our customer service representatives and it has since been addressed. I have reiterated the Air Force's core values, standards and my expectations to everyone that I expect nothing less from them. Our Customer Services section provides support to over eight thousand customers on Eglin AFB. They are extremely busy from the minute they open the doors until they close. We have adjusted the lunch schedules in the past but this hasn't truly alleviated the problem, because many factors contribute to customer wait time. On this particular day, we were having computer connectivity issues which really slowed our processing times down, and unfortunately, this part of the problem you described was beyond our control. To reduce customer wait time we highly encourage our patrons to make an appointment by going www.netappointment.com (see below for detailed instructions). Customers with appointments have priority over walk-in customers. We still provide services to our walk-in customers, but they are seen between appointments. If in the event we are fully booked or our system is down, Hurlburt and Duke Fields also provide the same services. Again, I want to assure you that after receiving your feedback, I have discussed with all of my personnel the importance of professional customer service and that we should always be looking for opportunities to improve our processes. Anytime you see or hear anything which concerns you, don't hesitate to bring it to our attention. Protocol for retreat Q. I am writing today because of a disturbing trend I have been seeing on base during reveille and retreat. This morning as I stepped outside the Child Development Center, reveille began to play. Parents went on about their business, gathering their children's belongings, taking their children out of their cars and walking towards the center. Perhaps the reason for reveille and retreat needs to be readdressed to those who "may have forgotten" or are unaware. I would greatly appreciate it if this could be addressed to base populace; not for me, but for those who died so I have the freedom to voice my opinion. Thank you in advance for your actions. A. You are right, it is proper protocol to stop and pay respect during retreat. If you are driving within hearing distance, you're supposed to stop. If you can't hear the music because your windows are rolled up, be aware of others who may be stopped or outside saluting. Those who are outside, both active duty and civilians at military installations, should participate in retreat, each person stopping to either render a salute or stand quietly at the position of attention with their right hand over their heart. According to Air Force Pamphlet 36-2241, "all vehicles in motion should come to a stop at first note of the music and the occupants should sit quietly until the music ends." Retreat occurs every day at 4:30 p.m. outside Bldg. 1 Eglin bike paths Q: Are there plans to make the bike paths connect throughout the base to include Eglin Parkway and perimeter road A: Thank you for the question regarding Eglin's bike paths. Perimeter road has always been technically closed to unofficial traffic for both flight safety and explosive safety reasons, but the closure was not enforced until last year. Eglin Blvd is the main arterial roadway through the base. The traffic lanes on Eglin Blvd are wide enough to support vehicle traffic, but will not safely support pedestrians and bicyclists. Bicycle traffic is permitted on all other base roads and streets. Last year, we completed construction on a pedestrian/bicycle crossing at Nomad Way and Eglin Blvd (In red on attached map), and started plans on a new path behind the Climatic Lab (In blue on attached map). This new path will be completed to Magnolia Street as soon as funding becomes available. This path will also complete the link between base housing and the Commissary/Base Exchange area with the main work center on Eglin AFB (In yellow on attached map). We will continue to advocate funding additional bicycle paths around the base as a quality of life improvement and are hopeful that we can complete this link this year. If you have any future comments or suggestions, please don't hesitate to bring them to our attention. Eglin Cell Phone Coverage Q. I work with military families living in base housing. I have seen first-hand the problems they have in getting a signal for their cell phones in their own homes. Most of the time, they have to go outside to answer calls. With the economy in a slump, I find families are cutting back on having land line home phones and instead only maintain cell phones. I have encountered this problem myself when trying to use my cell phone to make appointments for them or locate services for them during my visit. I also have encountered this problem when trying to get a cell phone signal in the BX-Commissary parking lot or the hospital parking lot. Is this problem going to be resolved in the near future? A. Thank you for taking the time to voice your concerns over the poor cell phone coverage in the base housing area. I'd like to take this opportunity to inform you of our current initiatives to improve cell phone coverage across Eglin. The cell coverage on base has been an issue that the 96th Communications Squadron has been working to resolve. Eglin currently has a limited number of antenna towers with which to support the antenna space requested by the commercial wireless providers. Currently all of the towers are at maximum load capacity, which prohibits the installation of additional antennas. To help the wireless providers in locating antenna space in close proximity to the base, the Mission Enhancement Committee and Eglin Real Estate office brokered agreements for an antenna farm along State Route 123. Several wireless providers have already taken advantage of this opportunity and have installed antenna towers to improve their coverage on Eglin. Wireless providers serving Eglin are routinely in contact with Eglin agencies with regard to installing additional antennas and towers. Recently, one local provider was approved to install a new tower, although the provider has yet to fund the installation. Once installed, competing providers will be provided access to the tower for installation of their own equipment. Installation of this tower and subsequent population with wireless equipment is expected to enhance cell coverage specifically in the housing areas, although again, it is reliant on funding by the commercial providers. Additionally, despite there being a limited number of antenna towers, the 96th Communications Squadron is currently working with the wireless providers to improve wireless reception in Eglin's Hospital and in the Base Exchange and Commissary areas. Unfortunately, this won't be an overnight solution as radiation and spectrum management studies must be conducted. These studies are involved, complex and will take some time. We, as do many of your neighbors and coworkers on base, share your interest in the improvement of wireless coverage. Rest assured, we recognize the issue and are currently pursuing measures to improve cell coverage across Eglin. Again, I appreciate your concern for the welfare of our military families and communities. Waterless urinals Q. I know we at Eglin have been looking into energy every year. If this is the case, why have we not switched to waterless urinals in all facilities on base, or even in a few facilities as a test project? For instance the average person uses the bathroom two times per day at work. We will use 100 people as our baseline for this survey. On average that is 200 flushes per day at 1.5 liters per flush. That is 300 liters of water consumption per day by one facility covering 100 people. I understand that the initial upfront cost may be high, but the long run savings would be enormous. I contacted base environmental energy conservation and they never returned my email. I know it sounds silly, but we could greatly reduce our environmental impact as well as saving tons of money that could be better utilized elsewhere. A. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. The 796th Civil Engineer Squadron has looked into your suggestion to convert to waterless urinals. Although this has merit, it is not cost feasible at this time. The cost for the new waterless fixture and associated modification of existing plumbing would exceed $800 per unit. With over 2,400 facilities with multiple urinals per facility, you can begin to see the cost and magnitude of this endeavor. Using your baseline calculations (converted from liters to gallons) and our current water production cost of $2.70 per 1,000 gallons. We estimate daily use of 79.2 gallons (300 liters) per 100 people at a cost to the base of $.21 per day. At this rate, the payback would exceed 15 years per fixture--far beyond the life span of the fixture. In addition to the initial conversion costs, waterless urinals have a special cartridge filter that runs about $55.00 and must be changed at least quarterly. The urinal manufacturer also recommends special cleaning agents be used because bleach and other common bathroom cleaners will break down the microbiological content of the filter and lead to odor problems. All things considered, the cost benefit of saving water by using waterless urinals will be overshadowed by conversion cost and the cost of special filters and cleaning chemicals. It is likely that further development of waterless urinals will improve and we may want to look at this idea again in the future. Thrift Shop percentage Q: Why is there a 25 percent surcharge on all items purchased at the Thrift Shop? That seems a little high. A: Thank you for bringing this to my attention. The Eglin Officer's Spouses Club, a registered Private Organization, operates the Thrift Shop. The purpose of the club is to promote and foster a spirit of goodwill for the military community. The Thrift Shop provides a valuable service by offering consigned goods at reasonable prices and all net proceeds are used exclusively for charitable and scholarship purposes. Such worthwhile causes supported by the Thrift Store include the Eglin Red Cross, Youth Center, Airman's Attic, base library, pet shelter, Team Eglin Annual and Quarterly Awards, AF Officer Village and the Bob Hope/Teresa Enlisted Village. In addition, the Thrift Shop provides educational opportunities by awarding scholarships to deserving high school students, and to the spouses of officer and enlisted personnel. The consignment fee (75 percent to seller/25 percent to Thrift Shop) not only funds the worthwhile causes mentioned above but also ensures operating expenses to include personnel and supplies are covered. The consignment fees are one of the lowest; typical fees in the local area range from a 60/40 to 50/50 split. So as seller, this percentage is one of the best deals in the local area. At the same time, consigners are supporting the morale and welfare for the military community; a win-win for all. Thanks for taking the time to raise this issue and giving us the opportunity to explain the Thrift Shop. This organization provides a valuable service to the members of the base and the various charitable organizations. Anytime you see or hear anything, which concerns you, I encourage you to bring it to our attention. Valparaiso city council meeting on Joint Strike Fighter Q: I attended the meeting in Valparaiso when they voted to file a lawsuit against the Air Force and feel I was slightly misquoted in the Daily News. While I did thank the mayor and other city commissioners for trying to look out for my best interests, I was challenging them not to try to overreach by claiming to have a "preference" for one type of mitigation over other types. I've read the latest Joint Strike Fighter Record of Decision and it seems as if everyone involved wants to work to bring an effective, mission-capable solution to the JSF issue. I give Mayor Arnold some of the credit but I believe a lot of it also goes to the Air Force. I was born in Val-P, have spent most of my life here. I am concerned about the high decibels, but I still have faith in the Air Force. Thank you for your service, dedication and hard work. A. The issues surrounding the beddown of the Joint Strike Fighter at Eglin Air Force Base are many and require a deliberative, step-by-step process to resolve. We are encouraged that the interim Record of Decision demonstrates a willingness to continue to work with the community to mitigate noise while bringing the next generation of aircraft here. Signing an initial ROD for the beddown of 59 JSF aircraft allows us time to conduct a supplemental environmental impact statement that evaluates alternatives for the JSF beddown. The goal is the SEIS will produce acceptable mission mitigations, including building an alternate training airfield on the Eglin Reservation and improving Eglin's existing runways so that fewer jets would need to fly over civilian communities adjacent to the base. We are convinced continuing a dialog with the surrounding communities is key to determining viable mitigation measures to support the mission and address community concerns. In fact, we have been involved in numerous outreach efforts since late last summer. Fox example, we have briefed the mayors, chambers of commerce and county commissioners about the beddown efforts, have met personally with Mayor Bruce Arnold on several occasions to keep him appraised of any new developments. Be assured that Eglin's senior leadership is committed to looking hard at all the options and taking into account the communities' concerns. The Joint Strike Fighter is about bringing a new, multi-role aircraft that can perform close air support, tactical bombing and air defense missions that could potentially save their lives. Thank you for your faith in the Air Force. We appreciate your taking the time to express your concerns about the JSF. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of further assistance. Flagging tape Q Recently I came across a lot of marking ribbons along Range road 685 (south portion of the reservation), I was concerned thinking that they may be left by surveyors in relation to the proposed bypass around Hurlburt Field. After some investigation, I found that they were left by a team of archeologists. These ribbons are really an eyesore and not biodegradable. If they serve a temporary purpose could the teams come back and remove them when their work is completed? A Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Plastic flagging tape is used by Eglin archaeologists to navigate to and mark archaeological sites and survey areas. Flags are used by archaeological contractors to guide their way to and from work sites, to mark the paths of transects walked across an area under archaeological investigation, and to designate archaeological features and areas of interest, such as the location of excavations. Various colors of flagging tape are used by many different government organizations or private contract firms on Eglin for many different purposes. Construction crews, foresters, biologists and land surveyors all use flagging tape to designate specific things related to their unique missions. Eglin archaeologists and their contractors use flagging quite extensively, and since their work takes them to all corners of the installation, its presence may seem ubiquitous. While not strictly biodegradable, flagging tape will fade and disintegrate after a year or two in the Florida weather. Over time the sun causes it to become brittle and the wind gradually shreds it into small pieces. Very little is left after two years. Any bits that remain are often destroyed during prescribed fire activities. It is crucial that the flags placed by archaeological crews remain where they are for several months to a year after the completion of the contractors' work so the government can field check the work and ensure quality control. Federal employees whose job it is to oversee these very specialized investigations rely on the flags to locate newly discovered sites, verify transect spacing, and check the accuracy of maps in the archaeological reports they are tasked to review. Without the flags it would be difficult, if not impossible, to ensure the work was accomplished to the satisfaction of the government. When you come across flagging tape on the Eglin Reservation, please do not remove or damage it. The placement of the flags and the numbers sometimes written on them are important information that remains part of an active archaeological investigation. Thank you for your interest in Eglin's environment. If you have other concerns you may contact us at 882-4437. Marina hours Q Why does the marina close at 5 p.m. during summer? To serve customers, the place needs to stay open until dark (at least 8 p.m.). A Thank you for bringing this to my attention. UPDATED ----MAY 11 The recently hired marina manager scrubbed the work schedules and crafted a new schedule that will allow for expanded hours of operation. Ben's Lake's new operating hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Seven days a week. The decision to reduce the hours of operations for Ben's Lake was based on customer counts during a sampling of last year's summer hours. Unfortunately, the financial cost of keeping the marina open outweighed the number of customers coming in during that time, which averaged less than two per hour. Ben's Lake Marina maintains the same, if not comparable, hours of operation with other local marinas. Ben's Lake operating hours are: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon - Thur 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fri - Sun Additionally, Ben's Lake offers a service to compensate any inconvenience. Customers can call ahead to have their boat placed in the water before closing, allowing early departures. If returning later than the hours of operations, boats can be tied to our dock and in the morning it will be placed in a slip or wash rack, if requested. This service allows you to enjoy boating anytime, not just during our operation hours. Our goal is to provide the best possible service at the lowest possible cost to our customers. Pool fees Q: I was wondering why there is a $50 fee for groups to use the base pool. The scout troop on base would like to use it, but was told there was an hourly fee. A: Thank you for the question regarding usage fees for the base pool. We strive to provide excellent service to all our customers and this service comes at an inherent cost for non military use. Our pool is considered a Category B facility which requires both funding from appropriated sources and non-appropriated sources. To open the pool for a private group, the base has to cover the cost of the normal labor and supply expenses. Non appropriated dollars are used to pay for the lifeguards and personnel to open, close and clean the facility. The $50 hourly fee helps defray this cost along with supplies and miscellaneous expenses. We wish we could allow private groups free usage of our facilities but funding will not allow us that privilege. Although we're not able to accommodate the request to waive the fees for the base scout troop, we hope this doesn't prevent continued patronage. If you have any future comments or suggestions, please don't hesitate to bring them to our attention. Shower Facilities Q: Can you please address the state of the shower facilities at Post'l Point? They are in very rundown condition. A: Thank you for the question regarding Post'l Point shower facilities. As you're aware, these facilities definitely need attention. With this size of an installation, upkeep of all of our facilities remains a matter of priority and funding; we're currently working through a backlog of over $500 million in unfunded renovation projects. Fortunately, we recently received enough funding to proceed with the renovation of this particular facility. The 96th Services Squadron and the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron have been preparing for this project for several months; work has begun on this project April 6 and we expect completion by April 30. The project consists of a complete overhaul, replacing wall coverings, lighting, heat/cooling systems, showers and floor tiling. We want to thank you for keeping this project in our line of sight. As you know this building takes a severe beating with yearly flooding from summer storms. Keeping it in good repair is an ongoing task and funding plays a huge role in this facility's maintenance. With this in mind we still strive to provide you the best facilities possible, and we sincerely regret they did not meet our usual high standard. Thank you for your continued patronage through this trying period. We hope the renovated facility is a better reflection of the service we aim to provide our deserving customers. If you have any future comments or suggestions, please don't hesitate to bring them to our attention. Trash at Oak Hill track Q: I frequently use the track by the old Oak Hill Elementary school. I have noticed that every morning after mass PT, the track is littered with empty water bottles and trash. It was particularly bad this morning and I walked around picking bottles up off the ground and out of the tree line. The trash can was overflowing and I happened to have some bags in my car and took some of the bottles away with me for recycling. I would like to suggest the squadrons bring their own trash bags and take the empty bottles with them for recycling. This will help the track to stay clean and help the environment! A: Thank you for the suggestion regarding the litter at the Oak Hill track. I'd like to thank you personally for taking the initiative to help us keep this area clean. Your attention to this is greatly appreciated and you went above and beyond normal expectations of our patrons. With the closure of the 33rd Fighter Wing track, the increased use of our other track facilities is resulting in more accumulation of this type of trash. Based on your feedback, we have located a recycling bin near Oak Hill track for patrons to use in addition to the trash receptacles. Additionally, I've directed the Fitness Center staff to check our tracks more frequently during the day to ensure the area is maintained. More importantly, we have asked all commanders to reiterate the importance of cleaning up after PT sessions to squadron PTLs and POCs for other large groups who utilize this track. These actions should reduce and hopefully eliminate the litter that is left behind by some patrons. You are correct; it is each and every person's responsibility to keep Eglin AFB beautiful by not only cleaning up after themselves but also picking up any litter they see lying on the ground. If you have any future comments or suggestions, please don't hesitate to bring them to our attention. Firewood on base Q. I have noticed lately a commercial firewood company is cutting wood along RR 234 and the A-30 site. They appear to be cutting trees that were poisoned about 12 to 15 months ago. Is this wood safe to burn in a home fireplace? If it is, please advise as I will probably harvest some myself and an elderly neighbor. A. Thank you for inquiring about using herbicide-killed trees for firewood. Burning herbicide-killed trees as firewood in a fireplace is very safe with no increase in human health risks. The effect of smoke from herbicide-treated wood has been studied because of the potential impact to wildland firefighters exposed to smoke. This herbicide has been studied extensively and information can be found at the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health's Network (www.bugwood.org), fact sheets 98-020 through 98-022. The information here is taken is from fact sheet 98-021: The classes of primary chemical products naturally produced by the combustion of forest fuels include: carbon dioxide, water, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, methane and non-methane hydrocarbons, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrogen and sulfur oxides, aldehydes, free radicals, and inorganic elements.....Exposure analyses indicate that, even under conditions of smoldering fires, no significant human health risks occur from pesticides (including herbicides) incorporated into or on forest fuels. Naturally occurring chemical by-products of combustion are a far greater risk to human health. Hexazinone is an important tool in ecosystem restoration. This herbicide was used in the area you mentioned to control hardwoods so that sunlight is allowed to reach the forest floor. The light, in turn, promotes groundcover species that are important to the native ecosystem. Hexazinone has been used by Eglin Natural Resources Branch since 1980 to help restore the native ecosystem, and it has been used in recent years to help the 46 Test Wing maintain their ranges. The area along range road 234 was part of the Sandhills Restoration Project accomplished in cooperation with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and the National Fish and the Wildlife Fund. This cooperative ecosystem restoration effort resulted in Eglin AFB receiving the NWTF's National Land Stewardship Award in 2008. Permits for cutting firewood on the Eglin reservation can be obtained from the Eglin Natural Resources offices at Jackson Guard in Niceville. Permits are sold for $5 per truck load on a cut and haul your own basis. Call 882-4165 for more information on firewood cutting. ATV usage Q: I'm sure you are aware there are many of us always searching for a great spot to take and enjoy our ATVs. There are not many places around here to accomplish this. Currently Jackson Guard has places for people and clubs to enjoy their Jeeps, hunting, fishing, kayaking and trails to jog, run and bike. Is there a possibility of creating an ATV trail or providing ATV riders a place to enjoy our vehicles? A: Acting in your capacity as an avid all terrain vehicle enthusiast, I commend you in your efforts to explore additional riding opportunities and to promote the safe and responsible use of off-road vehicles. I can tell you that this is not the first time Eglin has received such a request. In fact, an exhaustive analysis of developing an Eglin AFB off road vehicle (ORV) area was conducted in 2003 at the request of then Air Armament Center Commander, Maj Gen Robert W. Chedister. Unfortunately, the following challenges prohibit the development of an Eglin ORV area: 1. Almost 80 percent of Eglin's soils (342,360 acres) are primarily categorized as Lakeland fine sands and are inherently low in natural fertility and ground vegetation is easily destroyed by frequent ground disturbing activities. 2. National ATV death and injury risks; as identified by the Consumer Product Safety Commission All-Terrain Vehicle 2001 Injury and Exposure Studies, are estimated to be 1.5 and 261.8 per 10,000 ATVs, respectively. 3. A recent State of Florida study conducted on where to purchase lands for establishing ORV Use Areas determined these fine grained sandy soils are not recommended for ORV use. Erosion control in these fine sands is very expensive with an average cost of $11,561 per acre. 4. As a matter of policy, under the conditions laid out in federal regulations and Executive Orders, the federal government will assume risk for public ORV use if an area is created for such by the Installation Commander. The DoD promotes training as the primary method of risk reduction. Training and the requirement to sign a hold-harmless agreement could provide some liability reduction, however, neither is proven to eliminate liability. 5. The Croom Motorcycle Area and Ocala, Osceola, and Apalachicola National Forests provide the only significant public land base for ORV riding opportunities in Florida. Full-time personnel are devoted to management of these areas. Current Eglin staffing and budget do not allow for such. 6. Managers of established ORV areas identify the requirement for on-site personnel to monitor user compliance due to the percentage of riders that will not honor existing trails and/or regulations. A feasibility study conducted by the Florida Division of Forestry identified the need for one full-time law enforcement position for an ORV area as small as 40 acres. 7. Costs associated with development and maintenance of an Eglin ORV area would involve fencing, trail establishment, printing and posting signage, brochures and regulations, construction of parking, and kiosk/pavilion facilities, as well as, environmental coordination and analysis. At this time, establishing an ORV area on Eglin AFB is not possible due to the concerns stated. Eglin can and does provide a host of outdoor recreational opportunities and I encourage you to contact the natural resources section at 882-4165 or 882-4166 to take full advantage of these offerings. We hope this helps answer your question regarding this issue. Thanks again for taking the time to provide us with the opportunity to respond. Anytime you see or hear anything that we can improve, I encourage you to continue voicing your concerns. We appreciate your feedback. Gas pump safety Q: I have a concern about the west gate gas station on Eglin AFB. About a year ago, I went to the gas station to fill up my van and when I went to put the gas nozzle back in its holder, I had to step up on the pedestal. As I was stepping back down, I cut the bottom part of my leg and had to go get a tetanus shot due to the pedestal being rusty and jagged on the edges. While it has been a while since the incident, but I recently noticed the pedestal is in the same condition it was before, if not worse off. I just feel it is a big safety hazard and should be looked into. A: Let me apologize for the incident last year, I was unaware of it, but now AAFES is aware of the ongoing deterioration of the pump island curbing at the Westgate Shoppette. AAFES had taken interim measures to mitigate the safety hazard over the past year. Also, we have identified the need to Eglin civil engineers for a more permanent solution. Since then, a representative from the Air Armament Center Safety Office inspected the pump island and issued a safety code of RAC #5. Having the safety code applied to this work order will help prioritize the work for CE. With that said I have asked the Westgate Shoppette managers and the AAFES facility maintenance crew to inspect these daily and weekly, respectively. The AAFES maintenance crew completed minor repairs as recently as this past week. It will be monitored, and if you have any concerns, let us know. Vacant base housing vandalism/safety Q: We have a vacant house in our neighborhood on Spruce Court, which has damage and will be demolished. We see kids entering and leaving the house and are worried they could get hurt. A: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. There have been several reports to security forces of vandalism in houses scheduled for demolition and there are possible hazards to children or anyone not authorized to enter them. Utilities such as natural gas and electricity have not been turned off in some units and asbestos abatement must be complete before the house is torn down. As a result of your call, contractors have been instructed to secure the houses at the completion of each work day to ensure safety of our children and to deter vandalism. In addition, the house in your area has been demolished, alleviating the situation for your neighborhood. However, until housing demolition projects are completed, there will be many vacant units throughout our housing areas and parents should ensure their children avoid these buildings. If caught, violators could be charged with trespassing and vandalism. In some areas, only a few houses are still occupied. Anytime you see or hear anything which concerns you, I encourage you to inform your chain command or contact security forces as appropriate. Residents are also reminded they must maintain housing standards at all times, even if among the last remaining in demolition areas. Unkempt yards and houses can be very attractive to vandals who could mistakenly think the house is empty based on appearance. As we "clean up" our landscape of older homes, it becomes increasingly important to maintain the appearance of the homes we will be keeping. A sense of ownership and pride in our surroundings will go a long way toward making our housing a better place to live. We hope this helps answer your question regarding this issue. Thanks again for taking the time to provide us with the opportunity to respond. Anytime you see or hear anything that we can improve, I encourage you to continue voicing your concerns. We appreciate your feedback. Diesel on base Q: I was wondering if diesel fuel could be made available at the shopettes. There is a greater demand for diesel nowadays. A: Several years ago, a survey was completed regarding the use of gas and diesel. Only a small number of respondents, less than 20, requested consideration for diesel fuel. Reluctantly, it appears that demand for this service has not changed and there are no efforts at this time to obtain diesel services at our local AAFES gas stations. Although AAFES offers diesel and E-85 fuel at some exchanges, AAFES does not have enough demand at the Eglin/Hurlburt Exchange to justify the expense of adding diesel tanks and dispensers. Between AAFES and the USAF, we are required to make business decisions that ensure we are prudent with our customer's money. If demographics change and diesel fuel usage becomes more prominent in this area, AAFES may consider offering it at local base-exchange gasoline stations. However, at this time, AAFES does not plan on offering diesel products. We hope this helps answer your question regarding this issue. Thanks again for taking the time to provide us with the opportunity to respond. Anytime you see or hear anything that we can improve, I encourage you to continue voicing your concerns. We appreciate your feedback. West Gate traffic/hospital gate reopening Q: Every morning cars block the median at the West Gate either from Eglin Blvd or turning left off of Beal Parkway creating numerous safety hazards and potential vehicle accidents. Can the signal -timing be readjusted or are there any plans to open up the hospital gate to alleviate this problem? A: Thank you for your concern. We are well aware of this issue. Signal timing will have no effect on cars ending up in the intersection. The base has worked with the county and current signal timing is as good as it gets. Some people think the problem is worse now since the hospital gate was closed. When the hospital gate was open for inbound during peak periods, there was less jockeying for position to get into the far right lane of Eglin Blvd to make the turn to the hospital. A study was conducted and determined that closing the hospital gate would improve traffic flow and reduce delays. This was put into affect December 2007 and wait times were reduced from an average of 3-4 minutes down to 2-3 minutes per vehicle. Although this improvement sounds minor, when the gate handles 1,500 cars over a two hour period during rush hours, this time saving is significant. In March 2008, a follow-on study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the closure. The results of this survey, taken during rush hour periods over a two-day span, concluded that with the Hospital Gate closed, the traffic flowed un-impeded with no interruptions entering the West Gate. This was due to opening all four entrance lanes coming onto the installation. Additionally, the route to the schools is a shorter driving distance and less congested when entering the West Gate. Other mitigating circumstances also exist that prevent us from re-opening the hospital gate. Security Forces manning does not allow us to open the gate and fully man the West, East, North, and the AAC Gates during rush hour traffic. When approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of security forces personnel deployed, patrolmen are already taken off patrol during rush hour period to man the gates. Further, the hospital gate does not meet Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection criteria, required by DoD standards. In order to meet full compliance, a minimum of $750 thousand would have to be spent to reopen this gate. We try to balance the convenience of base access with the installation security; however, because of the reasons mentioned, there is no intention of reopening this gate for inbound traffic. We hope this helps answer your question regarding this issue. Thanks again for taking the time to provide us with the opportunity to respond. Anytime you see or hear anything that we can improve, I encourage you to continue voicing your concerns. We appreciate your feedback. Giant Voice Q: Many residents both on and off base have noticed a dramatic increase in the volume of the Giant Voice speaker system on Eglin during Reveille and Retreat. Why are the speakers so loud? A: Thank you for your concern with increased volume of the Giant Voice. Eglin always strives to be good neighbors for all those living on base and in the surrounding communities. The volume on Eglin's GIANT VOICE system is set in the interest of public safety; but in light of recent repairs by the 96th Communications Squadron, the speakers give off the impression that volume levels were raised. More than 14 speakers were replaced and nine more repaired and many residents noticed the successful repair -- particularly the side-effect of increased volume. During Hurricane Gustav in September, the base and surrounding communities were warned of seven tornadoes that struck the immediate area. Even though two housing units on Eglin were destroyed as a result of the tornados that touched down, all family members took heed of the Giant Voice warnings and sought immediate shelter, thus no one was harmed. But in an effort to be good neighbors with both our local community and base residents, reveille, retreat and taps will be played on an abbreviated schedule of Monday through Friday (no longer on weekends), and at a lower volume. In order to ensure weather warnings and public safety announcements made through the Giant Voice are heard, the volume for these warnings will not be reduced. This should balance our intent to be good neighbors and our requirement for mass notification. Thank you again for expressing your concern. Base Access Q. I have noticed that the time spent getting through the base gates has dramatically increased. There seem to be the same number of gate guards present, but the traffic consistently backs up. What is the cause of this? A. Over the past several weeks, the Air Base Wing has received a number of comments and questions about base access and security. I would like to thank everyone for taking the time and effort to make inputs and give us the opportunity to inform Team Eglin about this important matter. Safety and security of all personnel on Eglin is a priority and we work hard to maximize convenience while ensuring compliance with Department of Defense security requirements. In order to comply with DOD requirements Installation Entry Control is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by security forces and all personnel entering are subject to a 100 percent identification check prior to entering Eglin. Additionally, all visitors to the installation are required to have an authorized sponsor, must have proper identification and must receive a pass. DOD requirements also require retirees, dependents, civilian employees and contractors entering the installation to have appropriate identification. Although vehicle decals are no longer required, identification checks conducted at the entry control points are designed to ensure only those authorized may enter the installation. The 96th Air Base Wing appreciates interest in our collective security and we hope that this response clarifies security and base access to Eglin. If there are additional questions regarding security, please contact the security forces at 882-7279 or 882-5339. Political Correctness Q: Sir, I am noticing a trend that occurs here on base when each presidential election rolls around and that our employees need a reminder about "political correctness" in the workplace. I understand that federal employees are only human and have the right to support whichever candidate they choose. I am disturbed, however, at hearing employees make disparaging, inappropriate comments about certain candidates while at the workplace. I am a registered Independent who has not made a decision one way or another about how I wish to vote, but I feel that certain behaviors are inappropriate in the workplace. Perhaps now would be an appropriate time to remind civilian employees and our active-duty personnel that they must be cognizant of what they say in terms of politics in the workplace. Thank you for taking time to review my concern. A: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. As you correctly pointed out, all our personnel including commanders, supervisors and employees must be aware of the limitations and restrictions they face regarding political activity in the federal workplace, especially as the presidential elections approach. I assure you we take this matter seriously and are taking steps to educate and inform civilian federal employees and active-duty personnel on their rights and responsibilities. In response to your specific concerns, the Hatch Act prohibits political activity by civilian employees in the federal workplace while on duty, wearing a uniform , badge or insignia while in a government office or building or while using a government vehicle. Engaging in such activity may subject employees to disciplinary action, including removal from the workplace. Per 5CFR 734, political activity means an activity directed toward the success or failure of a political party, candidate for partisan political office or partisan political office. Therefore, all federal employees should refrain from engaging in such political activities in the federal workplace. As the Department of Defense Office of General Counsel has stated, "(n)o political activity means no political activity ..." We are also concerned that we do not go overboard and the we administer the Hatch Act sensibly, sensitively and with due regard for the First Amendment rights of our civilian employees. While the Hatch Act prohibits political activity in the federal workplace, the Hatch Act does not outlaw ordinary office conversations since the term "political activity" as defined in the act encompasses activities and does not extend to mere speech containing political content. While the Hatch Act does not apply to servicemembers, DoD Directive 1344.19, Political Activities by Members of the Armed Force, also similarly restricts active-duty members from engaging in partisan political activity in the federal workplace. While active-duty members are permitted to express a personal opinion on political candidates and issues, they may not do so as a representative of the Armed Forces. To assist in the application of these rules the Deputy Secretary of Defense has published a detailed guidance memorandum which we will be distributing to the base population.