Feedback Fridays is a weekly forum that aims to connect the 502d Air Base Wing with members of the Joint Base San Antonio community. Questions are collected during commander's calls, town hall meetings, and throughout the week. If you have a question or concern, please send an email to RandolphPublicAffairs@us.af.mil using the subject line "Feedback Fridays". Questions will be further researched and published as information becomes available.
Personnel Issues
Q. Will we be able to buy Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) uniforms at our uniform store now or are those for Army personnel?
A. Great question. As of Oct. 1, 2018, Airmen may purchase OCPs at the following AAFES locations: Aviano AB, Charleston AFB, Shaw AFB, and MacDill AFB. On or about April 1, 2019, AAFES will expand in-store sales of OCPs to additional locations with the goal of OCPs being available for purchase online no later than October 2019 which will ensure we’re able to stay ahead of the April 1, 2021 mandatory wear date.
Q. What percentage chance do you think there is of high year tenure going away, allowing E-5’s to earn a pension?
A. We are happy to share that according to a Sept. 12, 2018, interview in the Air Force Times, “Chief Wright: New rules on high-year tenure coming soon” (https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2018/09/12/chief-wright-new-rules-on-high-year-tenure-coming-soon/), Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Kaleth Wright is working on extending high year tenure rules so Airmen can stay in longer if they are not promoted. Currently, Staff Sergeants have to separate at 15 years if they don’t get promoted to Technical Sergeant. CMSAF Wright voiced his support for extending E-5s to 20 years. He also said that the Air Force is considering extending Technical Sergeants' high year tenure from 20 to 22 years, as well as extending Senior Airmen’s current eight-year high year of tenure.
Installation & Facilities
Q. Why have we started closing the Luke West Gate and Selfridge Gate so early? This makes exiting JBSA-Lackland a bit tough. Also, can we add three entry lanes to Valley Hi Gate after lunch?
A. Thank you for giving us a chance to address these questions. The Luke and Selfridge West gates are now open to inbound and outbound traffic from 6-9 a.m. and outbound only from 3-6 p.m., Monday through Wednesday. To accommodate the traffic surge we typically see on Thursdays and Fridays, each gate is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., increasing our throughput capacity during the busiest periods of the week. Although we recognize these changes in operating hours may cause some inconveniences, it represents the most effective balance for all considerations involved.
We are aware of the congestion at the Valley Hi Gate and are working closely with 502d Civil Engineering Group to design a permanent solution to assist with traffic flow. We have worked with both 502d CEG and 502d ABW Safety to consider utilizing a temporary additional lane, similar to the morning rush. However, the higher outbound traffic flow during the rest of the day makes it too much of a safety risk. We will continue to explore alternative ways to expedite traffic through Valley Hi Gate while maintaining force protection.
Miscellaneous
Q. Is it in the budget to update Civil Engineering maintenance vehicles?
A. The Air Force centrally manages the vehicle purchase and replacement program by applying limited funding to replace the vehicles with the highest mileage and hours driven. While Air Force funding is not sufficient to update all vehicles that we would like to see replaced, the 502d Logistics Readiness Squadron Vehicle Management Flight is fully funded to provide maintenance to the JBSA Air Force vehicle fleet including all the Civil Engineering vehicles. Although we cannot locally control which vehicles are replaced or when, the VMF is always available if you have issues with the maintenance of your vehicles.
Q. The Randolph bowling alley closes early during Air Education Training Command family days. Is there a chance to extend the hours?
A. The JBSA-Randolph Bowling Center hours for AETC family days are currently from 1-8 p.m. We based these hours on the historical trends of family day attendance. However, if there are a large number of customers in the center nearing 8 p.m., the center staff can extend their hours to meet the customer’s needs. Individuals or organizations interested in having an event in the evening on a family day, are encouraged to work directly with management to extend hours based on participating numbers.
Q. When is the Growden Gate marquee at JBSA-Lackland expected to come back on? This marquee has not worked for more than 18 months.
A. Thank you very much for bringing this to my attention. Our civil engineers as well as the Installation Support Group and Public Affairs are working on purchasing a new marquee and are currently researching the funds to support the effort. We will keep you informed on the timeline for the fix.