How to spend a million

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. A.C. Eggman
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Detachment 1 Public Affairs
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  They have what many people would consider the ideal job -- getting paid to shop all day while spending other people’s money.

But unlike many shoppers, the contracting office here cannot go downtown and browse through the shops or cruise the mall.

“(We) don’t go off base (because of) the dangers around us,” said Tech. Sgt. Jim Bane, 332nd Expeditionary Contracting Office superintendent. “We get vendors to come to us. It makes contracting more difficult because you can’t ‘window shop’ like [you can at] other locations.”

Local vendors drive to the base with samples of items the contracting staff requests. It often takes more time to purchase items; however, the staff of four makes sure the base populace gets what they need.

From mission-critical supplies and equipment to quality-of-life items, the airmen work through obstacles such as difficulty getting drivers to deliver here, language barriers and logistical restraints to ensure the base is able to continue its mission.

“Many vendors are getting shot at because they are working with Americans -- it’s hard getting items to the base,” said Capt. Donald Chatham, 332nd ECS, who oversees management, solicitation and quality control of items received here.

About 80 percent of the items purchased are from the local economy, said the captain. The more technically advanced materials are ordered from the United States.

“In a place and area such as Balad, it is extremely important to buy locally to build the economy and get Iraq up and running under a democratic society,” said Sergeant Bane, who is deployed from Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

The effect of purchasing locally is evident, said Captain Chatham, who is deployed from Brooks City-Base, Texas.

“I like to call it Capitalism 101,” he said. “You can see it helps their families. They are making a lot more money than before.”

Since contracting airmen arrived here in early November, the base has spent $8 million -- more than $2.3 million monthly and the contractors expect to spend another $2 to $4 million by the end of their rotation. Contracting purchases the majority of the commodity items for base support and morale.

“The building-up stage is the most important. We’re laying the foundation for the folks after us,” Captain Chatham said.