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Show 8 ©Hilltop Times September 16, 2004 Former storage shelter houses unit and other preparation had to be done. Squadron Airmen developed plans to build an office inside the 416 Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs shelter and a study/break room. ; KAKSHI-KHANABAD AIRBASE, Uzbekistan (AFPN) — StepThe demolition, cleanup and construction teams worked durping out of the sweltering heat into the cool shadows of hardened ing their off-duty hours before and after their 12-hour work shifts. aircraft shelter No. 21, many visitors might notice the new paintSo far, the volunteers put in more than 80 man-hours of cleanup. on the walls or the freshly swept floors and the spacious room. They have spent more than 1,000 man-hours on improvements The former Soviet-era shelter was not always so fresh, clean and and used more than 35 gallons of paint and over a ton of various inviting. Formerly used as a storage area, the unused cobweb- other materials on the project. filled shelter had been deteriorating for some time. "We have had as many as 10 to 15 people volunteering at a time," But after days of elbow grease and determination, Airmen from said Sergeant Vera. "This really means a lot to us." the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron are turn- The squadron's maintenance flight has been working out of tents Photo by Tech. Sgt. Matthew Vera ing the former storage area into a new home. in a gravel lot since arriving in April. When the opportunity arose Airmen from the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron are turn'Two weeks ago, we were told that this was a possibility," saidto move into a "home," the Airnen jumped at the chance. Ing an old hardened aircraft shelter at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, Into a new home. The former Soviet-era shelter had been used Tech. Sgt. Matthew Vera, a hydraulics technician and expediter "We have really been pushing to make things better," said Tech. as a storage area and had been deteriorating for some time. for the squadron. "We were so excited that we crossed our fingers Sgt. Gary Piatkowski, an instruments and flight controls techniand started the project anyway." practically everything." cian. "It has been tough. For the past six months, we have had 40 To begin the "home improvement" project, maintainers had toto 50 people working out of a double-tent. For the long-term, this"It was a big project," Sergeant Piatkowski added. "But it has clean the shelter and make it serviceable. This project involvedis really what we need." been worth it. It has improved our camaraderie and morale. It is removing makeshift shelving, partitions and truckloads of waste,But from the start, the Airmen knew they would have their hands a better home and better working environment, and anything that dirt and lumber. Much of the materials were salvaged and reused betters the unit and betters morale, betters the mission." •full. V for new walls, flooring, shelves and creative squadron signs. As completion of the project heads into the final stretch, volun'It was bad," said Sergeant Vera. "We literally had to gut it. There Before painting could begin, a lot of pressure washing, cleaning teers are ready to do what it takes to finish their new home. was rot from termites and water. We had to tear out and rebuild by Senior Airman Matthew Roslne craft, General Jumper said. And while the. force may see some shrinkage in manpower, the biggest change will be in the number of aircraft, he said. y{ ;.? •; from page 1 One type of aircraft to play a part in the Air another, and our first charge is to take care Force of tomorrow is the unmanned aerial of one another." vehicle. What started outlargety as a surveillance and reconnaissance tool is evolvA recurring theme at this year's confering into something else entirely, General ence, the size and shape of the Air Force Jumper said. But there is even farther to go. of tomorrow, was brought into question. "We used to size the Air Force by how many "(Ultimately we want) something that could aircraft it would take to destroy a single tar- (be refueled in air), carry weapons, endure get," General Jumper said. "Now, we're look- with forces on the ground, and be in direct ing at how many targets we can destroy with contact with forces on the ground with a a single aircraft." time of flight of 60 seconds or shorter," he This movement toward more capable equip-' said. "We have to ask ourselves if the vehiment means the Air Force can replace very cles of the future considerably advance the large fleets with smaller, more capable air- art of war?" Chief discusses future aircraft Check it out! 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