Leaders eye dorm improvements

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WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  Air Force leaders are currently looking at service dormitories to ensure first-term Airmen are living in facilities that meet standards.

"Our Airmen's quality of life is a top priority for the Air Force," said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley, who recently collected photos and information from service-wide command chiefs regarding dormitory conditions as part of an internal review. "We are reviewing all our dormitories and will improve the living conditions of our Airmen."

In 2005, the Air Force decentralized dorm maintenance funding after the inventory was brought to an acceptable standard, which included removing central latrines. However, since that time, a recent internal review revealed that 106 dorms -- about 10 percent of the inventory -- have deteriorated.

From those findings, a three-step approach developed.

The first step is to establish a centrally-managed account to fund more urgent dorm requirements. The second step is to increase funding for projects within the next few years, and the third step is to revisit military construction projects to make best use of available funding.

The main goal is to bring substandard dormitories to acceptable standards and to put in place funding and plans to maintain such standards for dorms.

"This game plan is the right thing to do," said Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Duncan McNabb. "It meets our Air Force's highest priority of taking care of Airmen and engages leadership at all levels of the Air Force to make the major muscle movements that will improve conditions for our brave Airmen."

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