Prime BEEF improving quality of life for fellow servicemembers

Photo By Master Sgt. Jeromy Cross | U.S. Air Force Airmen with the 577th Expeditionary Prime BEEF Squadron prepare to pour cement at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, March 24.  

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AFGHANISTAN

03.24.2010

Story by Tech. Sgt. Richard Williams 

455th Air Expeditionary Wing   

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan— Recent surge operations in the Afghanistan theater have made living conditions here tight.

Airmen assigned to the 577th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Base Engineer Emergency Force, known as Prime BEEF, are focused on improving quality of life issues, not only here but in forward operating bases throughout Regional Command East.

"The squadron's previous mission was working here on Bagram and small jobs on the FOB's," said Capt. William Swanson, 577th Prime BEEF Squadron, officer in charge of troop construction. "We are trying to break that mold and focus more on the FOB's and the surge operations coming in."

Captain Swanson, a reservist deployed from 434th Civil Engineers Squadron, Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., said their mission is to improve quality of life by going to the forward operating locations and installing shower units, hardened living quarters and reinforcing force protection measures.

The primary responsibility of the 577th EPBS is to make the improvements to all of the FOBs, which are under the regional command's control, said Tech. Sgt. Steven Wolf, 577th EPBS, noncommissioned officer in charge of pavements and construction equipment. "We have a full complement of civil engineers to accomplish any task that is needed."

Wolf, also deployed from 434th CES, explained the team's service as all encompassing. "We send an advanced team out to accomplish a site survey; they decide the best way to do the job and what equipment we need, and we get the job done."

The team has only been in country for three weeks, but they hit the ground running, added Swanson. He pointed out in this short period the team has assisted with improving force protection measures on Bagram and completed electrical wiring in living quarters for more than 250 service members.

"It is a matter of comfort for our service members," said Wolf. He pointed out some of the living conditions at the forward operating bases are minimal at best and stressed the importance of 577th EPBS to provide as comfortable a place as possible for returning patrols.

"The bottom line is, the service members in these forward operating locations are doing what they need to do to keep us safe over here, so we want to do what we need to do to make them comfortable," he said.

• Date Taken: 03.24.2010
• Date Posted: 04.02.2010 06:43
• Story ID: 47583
• Location: BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF