AFCEE looks to improve Ellsworth

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Alessandra N. Gamboa
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  A field team from the Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment arrived on base Feb. 14, to review current working conditions and facilities used by aircraft maintainers.

The team, which consists of seven military and civilian experts based out of Dyess and Lackland Air Force Bases, Texas are here to check various locations on the airfield to ensure facilities are up to standard for Ellsworth maintainers and the B-1B Lancer.

Some proposed improvements include upgrading 1950s-era buildings to reduce time spent on repairs, as well as constructing enclosed shelters for maintainers against harsh weather conditions as they work on the base's fleet of B-1B Lancers.

"We are hoping to bring ideas of value to the Air Force and its people," said Stan Gross, AFCEE community planner and team lead. "Our job is to meet the needs of the Air Force. In this case, our purpose is to make life better for maintainers, by making them more comfortable and their work easier."

According to Mr. Gross, they hope to accomplish this by building enclosures where B-1B Lancers can park, making it possible for Airmen to work inside.

Master Sgt. Matthew Lee, 28th Maintenance Group facilities manager, said that working indoors will not only make their work easier, but improve fleet health by reducing lost time and interruptions caused by adverse weather.

"When it's cold, maintainers are required periodically to stop and take time to go inside and warm up," he said. "By building a structure that will fully enclose the B-1, we will protect Airmen from wind and low temperatures, and allow them to do more work in fewer hours."

The airfield development, once approved, will likely span more than a decade.

"We want to make improvements that will last for a long time," said Mr. Gross. "The entire process from start to finish can take as long as 10 to 15 years, but we want the Airmen to know that their needs for improved conditions are being addressed, and we're putting all of our expertise together for their benefit and to benefit the Air Force overall."