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Base services see big changes
Posted 8/17/2012 Updated 8/17/2012
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by Amy Lenahan
U.S. Air Forces in Europe Marketing and Entertainment
8/17/2012 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- Customers at U.S. Air Force bases across Europe may have noticed changes to force support squadron facilities in recent months. This is the result of a larger Air Force initiative known as Services Transformation, an approach to reduce and streamline some Services operations in order to meet current fiscal constraints.
Budget and personnel reductions have compelled Force Support Squadrons to look at each of their activities and to balance the needs of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe communities.
"While we are redirecting our priorities to ensure financial stability in operations, we are still very focused on our customers and providing them services that will meet their needs," Ricky Harness, USAFE chief of services said,
One of the most important things for customers to remember is none of their services programs are going away in USAFE, but the way in which people receive a particular service or where someone goes to get that service at a base may change.
From the customer's standpoint, the most visible of changes are to the arts and craft centers and auto hobby shops, which are seeing a reduction in hours or modification of operations. Customers may also notice small increases in fees for some services throughout FSS facilities.
At Ramstein Air Base, Germany, for example, the 86th FSS operated two auto hobby shops, one of which was located on nearby Kapaun Air Station. The Kapaun shop also housed a nonoperational vehicle lot, where service members could store their vehicles for an extended period of time. In January, both the auto hobby shop and nonoperational lot on Kapaun were closed. The auto hobby shop services, as well as employees, were transferred to the nearby Ramstein Air Base shop, while the Army's at neighboring Pulaski Barracks opened up a nonoperational vehicle lot, which Kapaun customers could use.
"We were able to continue an operation while downsizing and focusing on what's core to the community," said Jade Black, 86th FSS community service flight chief. "We found a balance in maintaining service to the community and making a good business decision, plus we didn't lose any employees."
At Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom, the 100th FSS looked at operations and reduced in areas low in customer demand, said Moses Thompson, personnel and services deputy director of manpower,.
The arts and crafts center there reduced some services offered, but kept engraving, framing and embroidering, which were in highest demand with customers. RAF Lakenheath also has an arts and craft center, which offers customers similar services to those cut at RAF Mildenhall.
RAF Mildenhall also reduced the squadron's real estate and the cost of maintaining facilities by consolidating facilities where possible. Customers have not lost any services, but, in some cases, have to change where they receive that service.
A variety of factors contributed to the changes customers are seeing at their local FSS facilities.
Force support squadrons are dual funded by appropriated funds and nonappropriated funds. Both sources are affected by force restructuring decisions and the resulting budget impacts. Appropriated funds are the primary resource for FSS programs that are directly related to mission readiness such as fitness, lodging and military dining facilities, while nonappropriated funding comes from revenue generating programs, such as bowling centers, arts and crafts centers and clubs. Force Support Squadrons employ both APF and NAF funded personnel.
The Air Force mandated the reduction of APF positions Air Force wide, and services had to make its share of cuts. Across the USAFE theater, 160 APF positions were eliminated. Many of these cuts came from internal FSS departments like marketing and NAF accounting that do not directly affect the customer. However, many bases have boosted their number of NAF employees to compensate for the lost APF positions, which can lead to higher fees and charges for FSS customers to offset the increased NAF expenses.
Air Force-level experts considered base population, operation costs, customer satisfaction and patronage, as well as community resources, while analyzing program performance at 72 bases, and made recommendations for FSS program modification. In turn, each major command also conducted a similar analysis and made recommendations. Across all MAJCOMs, the USAFE findings were closest to the Air Force findings. Changes to FSS facilities and programs in USAFE are the result of a blending of both findings.
While the Services Transformation is an ongoing project and customers may continue to see changes in hours of operations or the migration of services from one facility to another over the coming months, force support squadrons across USAFE remain committed to their patrons and providing needed services. |
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