JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
In an effort to deliver better services to Airmen and the Joint Base Langley-Eustis populace, the 633rd Force Support Squadron is transforming the way it manages morale, welfare and recreation services by repurposing facilities and modifying existing amenities.
The plan is part of the Air Force Services Transformation Initiative, which aims to ensure services are tailored to the needs and wants of Airmen, instead of keeping conventional, and sometimes under-utilized, programs normally offered at each base.
Part of this reinvention of services is in an effort to make better use of appropriated funds, said Jeff Tessler, 633rd FSS community services chief.
"The real key is looking to see what people are using so we can get the biggest bang for the buck and support the community where it wants to be," said Tessler. "An activity that is used by thousands of people over the course of the year might deserve more support or focus than activities that only support smaller amounts."
Examples of this effort were seen by the closing of nine holes in the Eaglewood Golf Course in April, 2012, and the recent closure of the Aero Club, said Tessler.
"At the end of the day, we're looking to maintain services and provide the community the best programs we can," said Tessler.
While FSS is constantly making efforts to improve quality of life for Langley Airmen, it may not always be able to provide services if the Langley community doesn't use them.
"If Airmen choose to spend their money downtown, then we lose those opportunities to reinvest and improve our base programs," said Tessler. "It's important for the Airmen to let us know what they want and need by using the facilities important to them, that way we can make sure we direct the right level of support to keep those activities open."
Not all aspects of services transformation involve closures. According to Tessler, Langley is also looking to be more efficient with repurposing facilities. The Youth Center, which became available when the new Youth Center opened in Bethel Manor Housing, is currently being converted into the Community Commons, which is scheduled to open spring 2013. The Community Commons will be combination of the Community Center, Arts and Crafts, Information, Tickets and Tours, and parts of Outdoor Recreation.
"While the footprint may be smaller, we're actually getting a much better facility for the customer to use," said Tessler. "The focus is to think long-term and how to put pieces in play today that will benefit us tomorrow."
As part of the Community Commons project, the Community Center's current facility will be repurposed into Airman Leadership School, and the Airman's Attic and Thrift Store will move into part of the Outdoor Recreation building. The former Arts and Crafts building is slated to be demolished in the near future.
"We're trying to be more efficient and minimize the amount we're paying for infrastructure," said Tessler. "It's about reinvesting into programming the community wants."
While the Air Force has recently begun its Services Transformation Initiative, this type of forward-thinking is not new to Langley. Lt. Col. Tammy Truax, 633rd Force Support Squadron commander, said benefits have already been seen from the Enlisted and Officers' Clubs combining to form the Langley Club several years ago.
"Not only did it serve the membership better by giving the manager flexibility with scheduling functions, it also provided more efficiencies from a workforce perspective in supporting and executing these events," said Truax. "It minimized the duplication of staff, provided greater efficiencies and we believe improved customer service."
The Langley Club will again reap the benefits of transformation in the service it provides. Scheduled for February 2013, the lunch line will be reinvented to include a gourmet burrito bar, providing a convenient lunch alternative for Airmen.
While these are the only new changes scheduled for the near future, Truax said that FSS will continue to reach out and deliver the services the Langley community wants.
"We're always looking at ways of improving and delivering service," said Truax. "We already have a vibrant program, which shows that we're delivering a service that people appreciate and enjoy. We're just going to continue to reinvest in our facilities and our programs to provide the best programs that we can, within our constrained resource environment."