Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Julie Avey | Airmen of the 168th Civil Engineering Squadron construct new walls and doorways to...... read more read more
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska— The 168th Civil Engineering Squadron undertook a remodeling project to enhance its facilities and operations and provide an opportunity to train on career field skills during a two-week training period.
"This is one of my favorite jobs we have done," said Master Sgt. Travis Doig, non-commissioned officer in charge of water and fuel systems maintenance. "We are capitalizing on upgrading our members' training, so we have a fully qualified force to send out wherever the Air National Guard or big Air Force needs us."
The operation included a kitchen remodel and a washroom addition.
Doig, a certified civilian plumber, said, "The project has increased my Airmen's knowledge, scope, and ability to perform their job more proficiently."
The mission focused on upgrading the kitchen and washroom areas, leveraging the expertise of plumbers and electricians who have these skills in their civilian and Air Guard careers while teaching hands-on skills to those in upgrade training in the Guard. The highly skilled CE professionals ensured the improvements met the highest standards and allowed all members to gain knowledge.
"Regarding plumbing, we are rerouting and updating the kitchen plumbing, which includes the kitchen sink and drains, and adding an ice maker to the break room area. Additionally, we added a washer and dryer connection to the mop closet. We redesigned and implemented a new drain, waste, vent system, and water lines."
Doig shared that they usually do not work a lot of new construction at their home station for training and how helpful it is for his Airmen.
"In this job, we are doing new construction and remodeling. A lot of the time, we work with contractors. The new construction helps my Airmen to see in their mind when they bring a drain cable into an environment where they haven't been yet; they have an internal map now of how that cable is going to run through the plumbing system to clear stoppages at a deployed location, seeing inside the wall and tracking down those leaks."
Airmen from the 168 CES remodeled the CE building to increase mission productivity and improve the quality of life of civilian state employees and military members who could be called to duty for 24/7 operations.
The remodeling project's goal was to create a more efficient and functional environment to benefit the squadron's civilian and military members. By modernizing the kitchen and washroom facilities, the Civil Engineering team aims to significantly improve daily operations and enhance the overall experience for everyone utilizing the space.
"As for us electricians, we laid down about 100 feet of new pipe conduit, 200 feet of wire, added seven new circuits, and laundry capabilities within the building that we didn't have before," said Senior Airman Mark Lyons, Electrician in the Alaska Air National Guard and civilian sector. "We installed a new dedicated subpanel and circuits for the kitchen – You don't have to worry about running multiple kitchen devices simultaneously, such as an air fryer and garbage disposal. We also did a full laundry installation – a lot for two weeks and was done in a week."
In addition to the physical upgrades, the project provided valuable training opportunities for the newer squadron members. The training enhanced skills and contributed to the squadron's readiness.
"This project has been a hands-on job, which I appreciate," said Ramirez. "During this training period, I have been able to mark off on my upgrade training. This drywall is one of the main tasks, same with moving these doors around. I'm glad I could help with reconfiguring the building and moving doors and walls to help with the flow of operations."
Tech Sgt. Brendan Landree, Electrician in the 168th Wing, shared about the teamwork during the project, "We were able to put on multiple hats this week to show our capabilities and how we can adapt. Since I have been in CE, this has been CE since day one, and nothing new regarding civil engineering wearing multiple hats. The new Multi-Capable Airmen already align with CE. During this project, we had a room filled with six to seven trades, and we were all chipping in, learning new skills, and helping each other out. We are broadening our AFSC and learning other AFSC skills."
"Everyone has been jumping at it even if it is not their job necessarily," said Ramirez. "Electricians have been working on drywall, and HVAC workers have worked on flooring. A lot of team effort."
By investing in the team's professional development, the Air Force is improving its personnel's physical infrastructure and capabilities.
"What we do here in the Alaska Air National Guard ties in directly to what they can do downtown," said Senior Master Sgt. Gerald Urban III, Civil Engineering Squadron Senior Enlisted Leader. "It sets our Airmen up for success as they are looking for a job because they get the skill sets with us and can expand their knowledge through training like this over the years. What the trades do allows them to make a successful career downtown."
The remodeling project represents a proactive approach to facility management and personnel development. It demonstrates the Air Force's commitment to staying ahead of the curve and ensuring its personnel have the necessary skills and resources to excel in their careers.
The CE troops also qualified in combat skills, including required rifle qualifications.
"The training we conducted allows us to deploy in any environment anywhere in the world and be able to set up shop," said Urban. "Our job is to help establish an air base and help make it robust."
| Date Taken: | 10.15.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.15.2024 20:11 |
| Story ID: | 483179 |
| Location: | EIELSON AFB, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 636 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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