Bottled oases found on Rock

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Phillip Butterfield
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
386th Air Expeditionary Wing --  American poet Gene Fowler said "Never thank anybody for anything, except a drink of water in the desert - and then make it brief." 

When temperatures hit 110 degrees plus, servicemembers count on finding cold bottles of water in the dinning facility, Flex Recreation center and the chapel, but where does the water come from? 

The Rock receives more than 19 million liters of water a month to quench the thirst of this active air base. 

"Currently we order more than 21 thousand cases of half liter bottles and more than 3 thousand cases of the one-and-a-half liter bottles a month. This equals out to more than 10 million bottles a month," said Staff Sgt. Jeremy Rey, 386th Services Squadron NCO in charge of rations. 

The water that Airmen here drink on the Rock comes from the local government.
But, all this water can't get around to the more than 26 water stations around the Rock and flightline by itself. It takes a special Airman driving a forklift with a ten thousand pound lifting capacity who is willing to work into the early mourning hours. 

"One person, one forklift, everyday," said Staff Sgt. Stefan Johnson, 386th Expeditionary Services Squadron NCO of water distribution. Sergeant Johnson is deployed from the 96th Services Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla. 

From 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. the water is moving up and down the streets and only when confronted by broken pallets or ballards does the process slow down, Sergeant Johnson said.

Where as only ballards and broken pallets slow delivery of water, nothing slows the consumption of water and the production of empty bottles. 

Even in this area of responsibility, an Air Forces recycling program can be felt and with more than 19 million plastic bottles, a recycling program is important. 

"We are smoothing out the last wrinkles and the program should be up and running in the next few months," said Tech. Sgt. Roy Takamoto, 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron pest management and hazardous waste technician. 

Moreover, the Rock's water testing, storage and distribution processes are efficient and cost effective enough to be adopted by all camps and bases in country. 

"Our bottled water sampling and management process is being used as a model for all the other camps here," said Maj. Phanthavong Vanhseng, 386th Expeditionary Medical Group officer in charge of bioenvironmental engineering. 

Water...the fuel which keeps the Rock's Airmen rolling, is abundant. But it took hard work and coordination to get it that way. 

"Water is free and plentiful!" said Tech. Sgt. Roderick Walker, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing ground safety manager. "So grab one from the many locations on base and stay hydrated."