Fiscal closeout funds base-wide projects

  • Published
  • By Tyler Hemstreet
  • Staff writer
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Thanks to solid teamwork by Airmen and civilians in the 62nd Comptroller Squadron, 62nd Contracting Squadron and the 62nd Civil Engineer Squadron, McChord received roughly $16.5 million in operations and maintenance funding from Air Mobility Command as part of fiscal year 2008 closeout Sept. 30. 

The effort funded several construction projects at Western Air Defense Sector, including the repair of a freight elevator, floor panels in a generator room and heating and air conditioning system repairs. The Child Development Center will also receive construction upgrades, as crews prepare to excavate and re-soil some ground around the center's playground equipment. The CDC also funded extra training for 30 caregivers at the facility. 

"I can't over emphasize the importance of this program ... our budget forms the foundation for how we develop and take care of our Airmen, sustain our readiness, improve our infrastructures and modernize our processes," said Col. Jeffrey Stephenson, 62nd Airlift Wing commander. "Our successful closeout of the fiscal year 2008 budget is a direct reflection of the professionals we have executing our funds -- the 62nd Comptroller Squadron, our contracting experts, unit resource advisors and government purchase cardholders. Job well done!" 

The bulk of the money will go toward funding more than 40 construction projects around the base, said Capt. Dimitri Martini, 62nd CPTS. 

Although much of the end of year spending for the base's operations and maintenance side (including WADS and 446th Airlift Wing construction projects) occurs in the last month of the fiscal year normally, the wing was able to fully fund all projects on its prioritized list of projects for AMC consideration. 

"This year we felt we'd really done a good job articulating those needs," Captain Martini said. 

The construction needs include everything from repaving various roads and repairing the dining facility to removing the rubber tire buildup on runways. 

Although wing officials knew the construction projects would get funded eventually, there was a concerted effort to have everything ready to go once the funding came through, said Tim McGlynn, 62nd CONS deputy commander. 

The wing received $6 million last year at the end of FY07, so the $16.5 this year was a nice surprise. 

"We wanted to have additional projects ready just in case," said Will Williams, chief of the 62nd CES engineering flight, which monitors the design and construction for each of the projects. "(The extra money) means we were able to fund and award three times as many projects as we initially thought, so we're getting the work done now." 

"The timing of the money is also key in that there will likely be less funding awarded by AMC in the next couple years," Captain Martini said. "This really reduces our needs in those lean years that we know are out there." 

Captain Martini said credit for the stellar closeout spans from wing leadership to resource advisors in each squadron who made balancing the books and finishing the reports a priority to the collaboration between the 62nd CPTS, CONS and CES on getting the projects approved and ready for funding. 

"The closeout impacts the entire base and leadership here really made it a priority," he said. "A lot of people came together to make it happen." 

Several missions benefit from the closeout actions. The 62nd Communications Squadron submitted two different list requests for items, said 2nd Lt. Heidi Millburg, the unit's RA. 

Both of the lists got approved providing nearly 1,000 computers, new servers and a batch of hand-held radios to McChord's communication capabilities. 

"We were a little blown away that everything was funded," Lieutenant Millburg said. "The new servers will really help out when it comes to reliability issues (for the users). We will not be able to have another tech refresh like this one for years." 

In addition to the construction and information technology projects, the money also funded various quality of life items such as replacement ski, snow and camping equipment at Outdoor Recreation and an online magazine indexing service for the library.