Feedback Fridays

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 been trying to use the RAPIDS ID Card online to schedule an appointment for my daughter to renew her ID card. No appointments are available going out past October 2020.

I have also called all 5 ID card sites around San Antonio for almost 3 working days, with no one answering their phones. It just rings and rings.

I need the support of JBSA Staff or Commander to fix this issue. This is no way to support active duty and retired veterans.

A. We sincerely appreciate your patience during this time. Currently, all ID cards which expired after Jan. 1, 2020, have been extended through Sept. 30, 2020. The appointment window will repopulate once we receive clear guidance from the Defense Management Database Center.

During this period, JBSA ID Card offices continue to experience an extremely high volume of telephone inquiries. It may appear that the phones are just ringing, but they will do so when someone is on the phone. We are doing our best to answer while having limited staff as a result of COVID-19.

We advise all customers to take advantage of online services and procedures at https://www.jbsa.mil/RESOURCES/802D-MANPOWER-AND-PERSONNEL-FLIGHT/ID-CARDS/. We will continue to post updates on JBSA ID Card policies as information becomes available.

Q. I am an Airman in technical school at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston.

I would like to know if they are allowed to triple bunk us in a room during Health Protection Condition Charlie even though COVID-19 is still a high concern?

How can we still maintain our social distance with three to a room? Thank you for your time!

A. Thank you for your question. While program managers make every effort to avoid triple bunking, there are times when the student population fluctuates and that option must be employed.

For example, under the recently rescinded travel ban, many graduated students had to stand by while transit to their duty stations was being coordinated, or sometimes an extensive maintenance issue impacts an entire wing of the building. 

The 59th Training Group obtained permission to triple-bunk students by following a process managed by the Air Force Civil Engineer Center. This process involves several steps including an evaluation performed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The services, including the Air Force’s 59th Training Group, have adjusted their processes on the Medical Education and Training Campus to keep all students as safe as possible while maintaining the mission to train future medics. 

Through great diligence on the part of the students and staff, METC has continued to conduct its courses throughout the pandemic. The services would not knowingly mix a COVID-19 exposed individual with healthy individuals. 

When distancing is not feasible, the students’ best defense is to practice non-pharmaceutical prevention measures such as wiping down frequently touched surfaces, using hand sanitizer or washing hands, and wearing a face covering. 

Just as the services’ collective efforts permit METC to continue to conduct its courses in light of this pandemic, much of this success depends on the individuals teaching and those attending classes. 

Please continue to wear your mask, wash your hands frequently, and avoid unnecessary gatherings.

Q. This question is in regards to certain outdoor and recreational park facilities at JBSA-Randolph.

Airmen’s Heritage Park and Rambler Field are full of dirt and cobwebs. It seems that they only collected the garbage but they do no clean the toilets, sinks or walls. Please give better maintenance to the outdoor restrooms at JBSA-Randolph.

A. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Civil engineers performed a visual check of the outdoor restrooms at JBSA-Randolph and confirmed better cleaning is required.

The custodial contract representative has taken corrective cleaning actions, and ensured restroom supplies were fully stocked.