AIRMAIL

Why does Chugach mow the desert on base?

Q. Chugach appears to be mowing the desert in the areas adjacent to our building. I'm writing to question whether this is advisable from an economic or environmental point of view. While I can appreciate trimming around buildings and next to roadways, mowing large empty areas doesn't seem to accomplish anything useful.

On the negative side, it disturbs the vegetation and the soil, and greatly increases blowing dust during the windy season. From an environmental standpoint, the less you do to the desert, the healthier it will be.

Would it be possible to review the practice of mowing the desert on base?

A. The area adjacent to your office is the Truman Gate area, one of the main entry and exit portals to the base and is open 24 hours a day. The base maintains this area as semi-improved grounds, which allows between 5 and 10 inches in vegetation growth. The grounds are kept at this level to improve overall appearance and prevent the growth and accumulation of tumbleweeds that create safety and security hazards.

Due to the slow growing season, mowing of this area to keep the tumbleweeds in check is only performed approximately 4 times annually.

In the future, you will see changes in this area with new construction from the Enhanced Use Lease Agreement that will add additional facilities and develop the landscaping to improve the area from the existing conditions.

Why is the selection of good music at the BX dwindling?

Q. I was wondering what happened to the quality of selection of music at the BX? When I got here seven years ago there was a wide variety to chose from and now it is absolutely horrible.

There is hardly anything modern worth choosing from and it is causing us to go off base to purchase a better selection instead of keeping the revenue here on base.

A. The sale of CDs has been heavily impacted due to the popularity of MP3 players and the many internet sites that are available for downloading music.

From 2004-2007, AAFES worldwide has seen a 37 percent decrease in CD sales. So far this year sales are 32 percent below where they were just last year.

AAFES is currently working on an in-store kiosk where customers can pay for and download music. This will give customers access to a much larger selection of music that they can download as either single songs or entire CDs.

This system has been tested at Travis AFB, Calif., and a couple of other exchanges, and comments from those stores are being used to put together a program that will be implemented AAFES wide.
Until this happens, there are a couple of choices still available. You can ask a sales associate for a special order, and if it is in AAFES assortment they will order it for you.

You can also go online to AAFES.com and connect to either Napster or the 24/7 Music Store and take advantage of the discounts that they are offering military members only through the AAFES.com Web site.

When will the Army and Air Force Exchange Service be fixing the movie projectors at the theater?

Q. Having just moved here from Florida where AAFES closed the Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field, Fla., theaters it is nice to have a base theater to go to. My wife and I attend almost every show each weekend.

However, one projector had been only half in focus for several movies. Last Friday when Batman was showing they had to run off one projector.

If AAFES does not want to purchase new equipment, can they at least have the much better equipment from either Eglin or Hurlburt shipped here? It would be a shame to see them close the base theater here.

A. AAFES has managed to keep our theatre running because they have been able to keep their costs to a minimum. For the most part, the equipment has been reliable or fixable for a reasonable cost.

The theater has two projectors that are used to show each movie. Movies come in on four or more reels, which are switched out between the two projectors as the movie plays. Recently, one of the two projectors started malfunctioning, causing half of the movie to be out of focus. This resulted in having to stop the movie while the movie reels were changed.

Several AAFES theatres have closed and/or been turned over to Morale Welfare and Recreation, or MWR, because it was difficult to keep them profitable. The Kirtland Theatre has remained open because we have been able to run it on a restricted schedule and with minimal expenses. AAFES theatre management will work with their headquarters to come up with options for equipment repair or replacement in order to keep the theatre open for future movie showings.

Why does it take so long to renew an identification card? 

Q. I am retired from the Air Force and have a retiree identification card, which has been expired for a few weeks. Every time I go through the gate, the gate guards write "expired" on the ID with a sharpie and send me to the Military Personnel Flight to get a new one, but every time I get there, someone wipes my card off and tells me to come back later because the line is too long.

It is a one-to-two week wait on getting an appointment. I need to be able to get a new ID, but the daily wait is ridiculously long and the appointments are two weeks out. Why is the wait so long and how are you going to fix the process?

A. Unfortunately, long wait times for identification cards at the MPF continue to exist, especially during holiday breaks from school and the summer months. The process for issuing ID cards/Common Access Cards is lengthy due to the security technology requirements.

The process is also affected when the computer system crashes. To help with this process, members requiring CACs can make appointments online at https://cacschedule.kirtland.af.mil. Appointments for other types of IDs can be made by calling 846-5459.

Keep in mind; you do not have to wait until the expiration date of the CAC or ID card. CACs can be renewed up to 90 days prior to the expiration date and other IDs can be reissued up to 20-30 days before the expiration date. Approximately half of the people coming in to renew their CACs and other IDs have cards that have already expired.

Are visiting officers allowed to eat in dining facility? 

Q. Per Air Force Instruction 34-239, does the Kirtland AFB commander authorize active duty officers stationed at here the right to eat at the dining facility?

A. The main purpose of an Air Force Dining Facility is to feed enlisted Airmen residing in dormitories who are on essential subsistence messing and do not receive basic allowance for subsistence.
In order to provide the best service possible, we must be in compliance with all Air Force Instructions and rules.

AFI 34-239, Food Service Management, Attachment 9, outlines who is authorized to eat in Air Force dining facilities and states that installation commanders can authorize officers to eat at dining facilities if other facilities are not available or easily accessible to the base.

The Kirtland AFB installation commander has not authorized officers to use the dining facility on a daily basis because there are other facilities on base that are available and easily accessible, including the food court at the BX.

However, officers on temporary duty assignment are authorized government messing. Additionally, unit commanders performing a once-per-month morale and welfare check, or invited guests of the installation commander for a specific date, may also use the dining facility.

We want your suggestions and comments; however, you may also call base agencies or use the chain of command. Callers to Airmail will not have their names printed in the Nucleus.

To submit an Airmail, call 846-4240, e-mail airmail@kirtland.af.mil or write to 377 ABW/CC Airmail, 2000 Wyoming Boulevard Southeast, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117.