JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas –
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 jbsapublicaffairs@gmail.com using the subject line “Feedback Fridays.” Questions will be further researched and published as information becomes available.
Q. I have an employee in my off-base hair salon who also works at JBSA-Randolph Exchange barbershop.
Late yesterday, June 18, she notified me that three of her co-workers at the BX barbershop have been confirmed positive with COVID-19. I requested she enter a 14-day self-quarantine and recommended she seek COVID testing for herself.
Today, June 19, I contacted her to see how she is doing and she said she feels fine, is continuing to work at the Base barbershop, and is not going to get tested.
She said some barbers were fearful to return to work and will seek testing, but six other exposed employees are continuing to work at the Exchange Barbershop. I attempted to make contact with the Exchange barbershop, but none of the phone lines would connect.
A. The Exchange follows all JBSA Public Health guidelines concerning COVID-19. Per Public Health, deep cleaning procedures, consistent with CDC guidance, are followed when positive cases are identified.
All barbers are required to follow public health guidelines, wear proper personal protective equipment, sanitize between customers, utilize every other chair, etc.
The barbershop contract owner offers a liberal leave policy for employees who wish to remain at home due to COVID-19-related concerns.
Q. We live on the JBSA-Chapman Annex and our house is on the border of it, by a busy street and neighborhood.
I’m concerned about our safety over here because anybody can see us. I feel as if we are a target over here and some people don’t have the best view of the military right now.
Is there any way we could build a wall along the housing fence line? We have already had breeches on this base and many of the residents have heard gunfire happen right outside the fence. There are also street racers.
A. Great question. We appreciate your housing safety concerns and requested improvement ideas.
The area of land where this wall would be constructed is currently owned by the privatized housing company, Balfour Beatty Communities. We will request BBC to add this community improvement into their long-range Capital Improvement Plan.
However, it will have to compete with other needed infrastructure improvements such as road and roof repairs, and it would likely take several years to potentially be funded.
In the meantime, we encourage you to notify both Civil Engineers and Security Forces if you see breaches in the existing fence line, so we can make immediate repairs and provide extra security patrols.