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CDC funding among the topics addressed at Andersen's Town Hall meeting

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Brian Bahret
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
Andersen leadership hosted a town hall meeting at the base theater Sept. 16 to offer base residents and employees an opportunity to discuss issues important to them and dispel rumors.

Approximately 60 people attended the meeting, including Brig. Gen. Phil Ruhlman, 36th Wing commander, and most of Andersen's senior leaders. Their goal was to provide an open two-way forum for the base community to address their concerns.

"It's real important that we establish and continue communications," General Ruhlman acknowledged.

At the meeting's start, he asked the attendees not to hold back their questions.

"These are very effective to me to find out what's going on and to get you an answer back or to dispel rumors," he said. "This is your forum and is our way to get that communication back to you."

Col. Alan Wieder, 36th Mission Support Group commander, opened the meeting with information about current and future construction projects, quality of life initiatives, and answer questions and concerns raised at the previous town hall meeting held in April.

Colonel Wieder began by outlining several of current and future upgrades to the base.

One of the most visible projects underway is a $220,000 renovation to the visitor center building. He said the project will be completed in late-September; until then visitors will have to report to the temporary facility onsite for passes to access Andersen. In addition to upgrading the facility, contractors are building a $724,000 commercial vehicle access road behind the visitor center to help ease the delays at the main gate; the road is scheduled to be finished in November.

On base, contractors are working hard to meet a November deadline to finish installing lights around the base track that will complete a $400,000 upgrade. In late September, contractors will begin a $2.1 million nine-month renovation project on the base pool. The pool will close for the duration of the project, but Colonel Wieder said the Tarague Beach hours of operations will be extended for swimmers.

In an effort to address concerns about the base Child Development Center from the April's meeting, Andersen formed a task force to research how the CDC operates and how it's funded. According to the group commander, the task force represented a cross section of the base including parents who have children at the CDC; spouses whose children don't attend the center; officers, enlisted and members of the child and youth programs.

Colonel Wieder said, after completing comprehensive research the task force concluded the costs associated with Andersen's are about even with the rest of the Air Force.
"Fees are based on the gross income of the household," said Colonel Wieder. "If you're two military staff sergeants and you're bringing in $70,000 a year, the same as a major [with a single income family], that's how the fees are based."

He said the Cost of Living Allowance is not included in the fees, however, base housing residents are also charged as if they're receiving basic allowance for housing rates.

"That is an entitlement you're receiving, whether your receiving the house or the BAH in cash," Colonel Wieder explained.

He added that the CDC is a break-even operation.

"You're paying for the staff, the facility, the equipment and all the supplies," he said. "It's not a money maker and it's not subsidizing everything else on base."

He said the full report addresses 55 concerns regarding the CDC and youth services and it's complete with references citing regulations and Air Force Instruction. The documents are available electronically at the 36th Force Support Squadron's website at www.36thservices.com or in print at the CDC.

In addition to questions on the CDC, Colonel Wieder addressed concerns base residents expressed about vandalism at Andersen's schools and the youth center that occurred earlier this year. In an effort to prevent the vandalism, the base increased security patrols and altered curfew hours in that vicinity.

Curfew hours are now, Sunday through Thursday from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.; Friday, Saturday and the day before holidays from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

"Since we instituted that," he said, "we haven't had any problems."

Housing residents questioned what the base is doing to curb speeding in base housing. According to the colonel, the base has purchased $50,000 worth of speed tables that will be installed in October. He said the tables are similar to speed bumps, but are lower and wider.

The first of speed tables will be placed on Marianas Boulevard near the Furniture Management Office where the speed limit reduces from 30 m.p.h. to 15 m.p.h. He said others will be placed in key locations in housing where speeding is frequently reported.

While leadership has taken positive steps to dissuade people from speeding, housing residents also questioned a $4 million construction project that will move dorm residents temporarily into family housing.

"First we'll maximize all the dorms we have," said Colonel Wieder. "We'll finish the ongoing projects and use those rooms first. But, we're just not going to have enough space in the dorms."

However once those dorms are fully occupied, the base will use all available resources to provide quality, but cost-effective housing for the airmen.

General Ruhlman and the wing leadership have considered all possible options and chose the one that is best for the airmen and the Air Force.

"I'm not going to put them in tents," General Ruhlman said. "The Air Force can't afford to put them up downtown in a hotel."

He said the airmen will occupy the same housing units used by Airmen who deployed to Andersen.

Housing residents raised concerns that the young airmen may be disruptive in the quiet community. The general countered that the housing residents should report incidents as they occur.

"I'll be the first one to stop it," he said. "Neighborhood watch is not a thing of the past. We are a military organization and we don't have to tolerate that because we're all one family here."

As the question session drew to a close, General Ruhlman addressed an issue that affects all military personnel assigned here - the high costs of airfare to and from Guam. Several people have asked if the Patriot Express will run through Andersen, he said.

General Ruhlman explained that the Transportation Command determined it was too expensive for the Patriot Express to operate in Guam. He suggested Airmen and their families should either take advantage of military airlift, or search for competitive prices as Continental and Northwest Airlines open new routes.

In the short term, he said it's unlikely that the Patriot Express will run through Guam in the short term, when the Marines move to Guam, the possibility will improve as the number of personnel on island increases. He said it will become more economically viable for TRANSCOM.