Town Hall meeting answers housing, security questions

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Mary Davis
  • 71st Flying Wing Public Affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Vance's housing privatization and the force protection project were the main topics of discussion during a town hall meeting at the youth center Monday. 

The military is privatizing to bring housing up to a suitable Department of Defense level, said Col. Richard Klumpp Jr., 71st Flying Training Wing commander. 

"To bring housing up to acceptable standard, it would have taken $4 billion," the commander said. "They [DOD] didn't have that kind of money to spend." 

The 1996 Defense Authorization Act was enacted to resolve the $4 billion funding shortfall and improve military family housing. 

To make this a cost-efficient endeavor, a partnership between the Air Force and private companies will be formed to provide renovated, enlarged or newly constructed homes on installations. 

"Private companies will buy the existing homes and bring them up to an acceptable standard or build new ones," he said. "The contract is for 50 years, which is a long-term agreement. We need to make sure we do it right." 

Utilities will be covered by occupants' housing allowances initially. A year after the average utilities consumption is determined, residents will begin sharing the responsibility, the commander explained. Residents will pay for above-average usage, if greater than $25. If residents conserve more than $25 below the average energy consumption, they will receive a rebate, which encourages conservation. 

The contract with Vance Air Force Base may be finalized this summer, so residents would have to sign a lease prior to the transaction closing. Residents who do not wish to sign a lease will be offered the opportunity to move to off-base housing at the government's expense. 

"It's a good thing for our Air Force. We will experience short-term pain, but long-term gain," the commander said. "This is a good news story that our Air Force members should tell." 

Another area of discussion was the force protection project that included the new base entrances that has a tentative completion of August. 

"The City of Enid gave the base some land to push the gate a half mile north," the commander said. "We will have a new main gate with barriers and tire shredders to make it difficult for unauthorized vehicles to enter the base." 

The new change will enclose Eisenhower Elementary School within the perimeter of the base. Security checks will be performed on all the civilian parents of the students attending the school.