By Airman 1st Class C. Todd Lopez
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (Oct. 01, 1999) -- A team of inspectors from Headquarters Air Mobility Command visited Dover Air Force Base Sept.22-24 as part of AMC's Base Appearance Competition.
Dover Air Force Base is one of eleven AMC bases in the continental United States in competition for the $200,000 in operations and maintenance funds awarded to the winning base.
The team inspected Dover Air Force Base for general appearance, maintenance and housekeeping. Additionally, the team inspected to assured the base was in compliance with AMC building standards and regulations
"The team specified what types of buildings they wanted to see," said Maj. Kyle Hicks, 436th Civil Engineer Squadron. "The focus for this year was on customer service and family oriented organizations, because this is AMC's Year of the Family."
The team toured 15 family related facilities on base, including the base theater, the passenger terminal, the Child Development Center, the Family Support Center, and the Youth Center.
The inspectors were looking for general upkeep, and good design. They were also looking for good flow in customer service areas to ensure customers knew where to go for help when they entered a facility, said Hicks,
The team also visited all the dormitory facilities on base.
"One of the things the team was looking for was a home-like environment," said Master Sgt. Angela Swartz, the Base Dormitory Supervisor, and a member of the 436th Civil Engineer Squadron.
In preparation for the visit, dormitories dressed up the dorms to make them more hospitable.
"We have wanted to make the dorms more like a campus, as opposed to an institution," said Swartz.
Dormitory residents have appreciated the changes to their homes, "The common areas in our dorms were remodeled," said Airman Rodney Mosser, 436th Aircraft Generation Squadron. "It feels more like home now."
Base Appearance Competition Team members also looked at the exteriors of all buildings on base, looking for architectural integration and appropriateness of buildings to their missions.
"They look at design as well as color schemes to make sure they are in accordance with AMC guidelines for base appearance," said Hicks.
In preparation for the inspection, the mulch groundcover around many facilities was replaced with red rock.
"The red rock is easier to maintain, lasts longer, and over time, it costs less," said Hicks. "The red rocks will become the new base standard for Dover."
According to Hicks, the addition of red rock around base facilities was the only major project done in preparation for the inspection. "There were some minor things," said Hicks. "We replaced and fixed some ceiling tiles, and some curbing. We also did some touch up painting."
"I think they were impressed with our base," said Hicks. "We gave a good showing. Because Dover Air Force Base gets so many distinguished visitors due to the Super Port and the Port Mortuary, the base is always in tip-top shape, not just when the base appearance team comes to visit. We always try to keep a high standard at our base."
