Airmen helping Airmen

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Adam Grant
  • 51 Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Ever since the ribbon cutting for the first dorms here in 1953, unaccompanied Airmen have resided in the 44 dormitories here at Osan Air Base. Currently the dorms house roughly 5,000 Airmen. The dorm management office is entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring the dorms are properly taken care of.

Staff Sgt. Amber Capello, 51st Civil Engineer Squadron Airman dorm leader, is one of eighteen dorm managers here at Osan. On a normal day Sergeant Capello performs fuel tank checks, walks through her assigned domiciles, completes health and wellness inspections, fills work orders, approves or denies furniture requests while also ensuring that service contracts are kept.

"The hands-on experience you gain from this special duty assignment is incredible because all the dorm managers come from different AFFSC's. Some would never get this experience had they not become a dorm manager," said Capello.

The dorm manager billet requires long hours but has the opportunity for great reward, the biggest being the satisfaction of helping unaccompanied Airmen reside in a comfortable living space. It is a one-year tour during which they manage three dormitories, account for all equipment and furnishings, monitor all supply transactions for furnishings and appliances and also oversee the turnover of 500 residents monthly.

"We do whatever we can within our power to help all of our dorm residents, "Capello said.

"I love my dorm because I have my own space to relax after a challenging day at work," said Tech Sgt. Robert Ladson, 51st Fighter Wing Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century NCOIC. "The dorm management here is unlike any other that I have encountered in my career because they assess all problems brought to their attention immediately."

The dorm managers can help unaccompanied Airmen here with most of their day-to-day problems, but there are some things out of their control. The reporting of bay orderly and the response time on work orders are two things that the dorm managers have no control over.

"The Civil Engineer Squadron uses routine, urgent and emergency as their response categories for work orders," said Staff Sgt. Michael Doss, 51st Civil Engineer Squadron Airman dorm leader." Work orders they consider urgent and emergency will have quicker response times than those considered routine."

The dorm management office and its eighteen dorm managers are taking the charge in ensuring the success of Team Osan. Whether you live in the dorms or off base here at Osan its all bout Airmen helping Airmen.