COMMENTARY>>Orange construction cone base’s new unofficial mascot

Across the base every day, Airmen, civilians, and contractors are looking for ways to make Little Rock Air Force Base a better place to work and live.

These personnel see ways to improve the facilities, roadways and airfield areas and then take the initiative to submit a work order, Air Force Form 332, to the 19th Civil Engineer Squadron.

This allows the 19th CES to design and implement a solution for these areas.

Simultaneously, these same difference-makers advocate for money to fund these improvements through their chain of command. This process can be quite lengthy, sometimes taking many years.

This was not the case for fiscal year 2010, however.

Thanks to active teammates, Team Little Rock is about to experience an unprecedented number of improvements.

In fiscal year 2010, Team Little Rock was awarded 78 construction projects; this translated into more than $60 million in construction for the base, beginning over the next several months and continuing throughout the year.

“This is more than a 75-percent increase over our average construction program over the past 11 years, and the most in Little Rock’s history.” said Mike Boyle, 19th CES programs flight chief. “We’ve already seen the implementation of this record year with the new water tank project underway next to the [Base Exchange], and the intersection improvements next to the fitness center and in front of the 19th [Airlift Wing] headquarters building.”

There are more than $6 million in additional street and parking lot repairs to come as well.

John Smith, 19th CES program management section chief, equated this to six miles of roadways and 15 parking lots.

“CE is constantly monitoring our base roadways to ensure they remain in good condition,” he said. “The above average rainfall and heavy construction we’ve seen in the past years can deteriorate roads rather quickly.”

The remaining $54 million in projects will make other significant improvements for the base, including replacing the old water storage tank, beginning an aggressive campaign to improve the sanitary sewer system on base in family housing and working on 66 different facilities.

The construction list also includes six new airfield construction projects, in addition to two that are already underway, totaling more than $8 million.

Contracting, civil engineering, and airfield management are partnering with the contractor to coordinate a successful airfield construction phasing plan that will provide the smallest impact possible to C-130 operations while construction is ongoing.

There are two military construction projects to build a new security forces facility and an addition to flight simulator Bldg. 1228.

The future is bright for the Security Forces Squadron, as their awarded project is to construct a brand new operations building totaling more than 39,000 square feet.

The base is also getting close to having its joint venture education center open with partners from the Jacksonville Community.

The project is currently at 85-percent complete with beneficial occupancy projected for the end of November, and classes starting January 2011.

Mr. Boyle encouraged Team Little Rock to remain flexible.

“With $60 million in improvements come interruptions in our normal routines,” he said. “We will have to adapt to temporary traffic routes, parking areas, work areas and taxiway routes.”

Mr. Boyle assures everyone the 19th CES will phase the construction to cause the least inconvenience possible while accomplishing it in the most timely manner, and will work through the Combat Airlifter and other Team Little Rock venues to advertise upcoming changes.

“When all the dust settles, The Rock will be a better place to work and live,” said Lt. Col. Lance Clark, the 19th CES commander.

“For the next two years, however, we’ll be doing so much to get there that the orange construction cone will be Team Little Rock’s new mascot.”

(Courtesy of the 19th Civil Engineer Squadron)