Airman's call questions answered

  • Published
  • By Radean Brown
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
At the quarterly gathering of Airmen, officers and civilians earlier this month, Brig. Gen. Tom Jones, 56th Fighter Wing commander, addressed a number of issues to include housing privatization, Airmen education, the Global War on Terror, wing accomplishments over the last year, and goals for the upcoming year.
The following list provides answers to the questions  asked by Airmen in the Q and A period following General Jones's brief: 

Litchfield Road overpass 

Q: How will traffic be impacted and rerouted once work begins on the Litchfield overpass project? 

A: The traffic flow during construction is still being analyzed. The contractor will submit work plans early next month. Street closures and traffic routes will be published in the Thunderbolt prior to any closings. 

Visual information 

Q: What will Luke units do when the 56th Communications Squadron Visual
Information graphics section goes away?  Who should the units look to for support? 

A: The 56th CS will retain graphics support until Oct. 1, 2007. Then, all Airmen in the
graphics Air Force Specialty Code will be cross-trained into other career fields, and the Air  Force will no longer have active duty graphics capability. The 56th CS is developing a working planwith Headquarters, Air Education Training Command to address unit graphic support. It will be published when it is completed. 

Sidewalks
 
Q: Can sidewalks be created or expanded near the dining facility and the North Gate? 

A: Site plans and a cost estimate proposal were conducted for better pedestrian access to the North Gate. The cost estimate is $50,000 and is currently unfunded. Civil engineers will study and review the dining facility sidewalks and add the requirement to the unfunded list. 

Fitness goals 

Q: Some units have set their fitness goal standards to a "80" score, and some members are receiving disciplinary action for not receiving this score. Is this in accordance
with Air Force Instruction 10-248, Fitness Program? 

A: No. Unit commanders should not use administrative action for members with a poor
fitness score for the first 90 days after the member receives a composite score less than 70 solely based on the fitness assessment.

Base taxis  

Q: Can personnel use base taxis to run to and from the dormitories? 

A: Yes and no. Airmen on temporary duty  assignments are authorized to use taxis to and from the dormitories because they are TDY.   Luke Airmen are not authorized the same taxi  transportation, because it is considered "domicile to duty" which is prohibited by AFI 24-301, vehicle operations.  

Fitness center track

 Q: How big is the new fitness center track? Is it possible to have an astro or rubberized all-purpose turf on the football field? What is the cost estimate? 

A: The current track doesn't meet the standards expected by such a fitness-focused Thunderbolt  team -- that's why we're replacing it with a regulation 400-meter track
(.248 miles) with lines clearly marking start and finish points for the 1.5 mile test.
Engineer cost estimates for an alternative soccer/football area turf are between $80,000
and $950,000. The project will not be funded. 

Cable TV service 

Q: Will we lose television cable service in the
dormitories? 

A: The 56th FW did take a substantial cut for
cable funding, so many base units will lose this
service. However, the dormitories will not lose
their common area TV cable service, and residents
can still buy cable TV service for their own rooms,
just like they can today. Dormitory residents will
not notice any change in service. 

Base housing noise 

Q: Now that our homes are being privatized, what will
the distance be between homes, and how thick are the
walls? I've tried to be quiet, but my neighbors say I'm too
noisy. 

A: The distance between housing units will vary
depending on lot location. New houses under the
privatization efforts will be built to industry and
energy efficient standards that will help reduce noise.