Gravity opens doors as 'home away from home' for junior enlisted Airmen

  • Published
  • By Kendahl Johnson
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Junior enlisted Airmen now have a place to call their own, as the Gravity Airmen Ministry Center has opened its doors.

Capt. Tara Dixon, a chaplain at the Base Chapel who supervises the facility, said it has been a lot of effort getting the project off the ground, but it's been worth the toil.

"We're excited about what it will offer the junior enlisted Airmen," she said. "The Airmen are excited about it and the leadership has been really supportive of it."

The facility is equipped with a kitchenette consisting of a refrigerator, microwaves and  a Keurig's coffee maker for single cup brewing, and is stocked with activities to help keep Airmen entertained, such as video gaming, pool, table tennis, foosball and air hockey.

Dixon said it will act as a refuge from the challenges many young Airmen face.

"The center provides a home-away-from-home atmosphere where Airmen can relax and unwind, but it offers so much more than that as well," Dixon said. "It will be a community where Airmen can build and cultivate relationships with their peers, and provide leadership opportunities for the Airmen, as well as opportunities for them to connect with others in the base and local communities."

She said they will offer classes for personal and professional development, as well as religious classes for Airmen desiring to increase their spirituality.

The facility is supervised by the Base Chapel, but the center is managed by volunteer Airmen who form a council that meets regularly to discuss issues, such as deciding what projects or volunteer opportunities they wish to support.

"We are here to offer mentoring and guidance, but want them to have the creativity and freedom to run the center themselves," Dixon said.

Gravity is centrally located between the dorms, near the base theater and across from the post office at 20224 First Street. The facility hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. As interest in the center grows, hours will expand.

There will be a ribbon cutting for the center Feb. 5 at 9 a.m. at the facility.  All are invited to attend.