Defense Communities January/February 2015

Defense

THE MAGAZINE OF MILITARY HOUSING, LODGING & LIFESTYLES

COMMUNITIES JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

The next generation of bachelor housing for Marines page 12

Privatized Army lodging partner and IHG provide homes away from home page 30

www.phma.com

A fond farewell to Joe Sikes page 35

Unaccompanied Housing Update on Army unaccompanied privatized projects from across the country

CONTENTS 12

19 SPECIAL SECTION: Unaccompanied Housing 12 The Next Generation of Bachelor Housing

Updated living quarters for unaccompanied service members at Marine bases across the country help to improve quality of life, achieve sustainability goals, and more.

By Kevin Harrington, Angela Pettigrew, Mary Simmerman, and Rick Worrell

16 Quality Living for All

With Phase II of Randolph Pointe at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and the newly constructed Reece Crossings at Fort Meade, Maryland, Corvias Military Living has delivered two groundbreaking residential communities for unaccompanied service members.

By Angela French Marcum

19 In Pursuit of Selfless Service

Old letters from an Army private serving at Fort Oglethorpe in 1918 paint a picture of Army housing during World War I--and demonstrate just how far we’ve come.

By Vernona Aslim

25 The Gold Standard

The result of a partnership between the United States Army and Lend Lease, The Timbers at Fort Drum, New York, has become a shining example in housing for single and unaccompanied soldiers.

By Gillian Maitland

SPECIAL SECTION: Ultimate Interiors 30 Home Away from Home

IHG Army Hotels provide service members, their families, and guests the convenience, comfort, and amenities they deserve and have come to expect from national hotel chains.

By Arthur Holst

33 To Buy New or Refinish?

Preserving existing furniture is an environmentally and fiscally responsible way to restore a piece’s integrity, extend its lifespan, and renovate facilities.

By Mario Insenga

22 Unaccompanied But Not Alone

Marne Point at Fort Stewart has proven to be a winwin—offering single soldiers and others a connected living environment, and offering the community staff a rewarding work experience.

By Mary Beth Woodard

2 DEFENSE COMMUNITIES

Don’t miss this department: n Housing

Spotlights, page 8

Defense

THE MAGAZINE OF MILITARY HOUSING, LODGING & LIFESTYLES

January/February 2015 u Volume 26, Number 1 u www.phma.com

COMMUNITIES A Publication of the Pro­fes­sion­al Hous­ing Man­age­ment Association Publisher Editor Production Assoc.

Art Director Ad Sales Manager

35 FEATURES 35 A Fond Farewell to Joe Sikes

As he enters retirement, Joe Sikes’ long and impactful career is a testament to the importance of persistence and teamwork in military housing.

By George Mino, PE

37 37 A Place of Their Own

The Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP) is working to promote education and access to local and national homeownership benefits for veterans and active-duty service members.

By Wanda Petty

Josephine Rossi Barbara Sincere Christine Umbrell Janelle Welch Alison Bashian

Publishing Offices Content Communicators LLC PO Box 223056 Chantilly, VA 20153-3056 703-662-5828 Advertising Sales Manager Alison Bashian Content Communicators LLC 800/335-7500; fax 440/232-0398 alisonb@bashian.com Editorial Office 544 Windspirit Circle, Prescott, AZ 86303 928/771-9826 phmadefensecommunities@ earthlink.net PHMA Office 154 Fort Evans Road, NE, Leesburg, VA 20176 703/771-1888; fax 703/771-0299 phmaoffice@earthlink.net www.phma.com Executive Director Jon R. Moore

DEPARTMENTS 4

6

President’s Message PHMA President Del Eulberg asks for your input in future Defense Communities content, and shares his outlook on the New Year.

39 M ilitary Marketplace 40 A d Index 41 C orporate Sustaining Members

Chapter News The NCR and Old Dominion chapters hosted another successful PHMA golf tournament to benefit the Fisher House Foundation, and Royal Chapter 63 members raise funds for Cancer Research United Kingdom.

Please send your articles for Defense Communities to Barbara Sincere at phmadefensecommunities@earthlink.net.

NEXT EDITORIAL DEADLINE:

May/June - March 9

ABOUT THE COVER:

Exterior side-view rendering of Marne Point, a Balfour Beatty Communities project, at Fort Stewart. Photo courtesy of Hall Puckett Photography.

Defense Communities (ISSN #1088-9000 USPS #004-502) is pub­lished bi­month­ly by Content Communicators LLC, PO Box 223056, Chantilly VA 20153-3056, for the Pro­fes­sion­al Hous­ing Man­age­ment As­so­ci­a­tion, 154 Fort Evans Road, NE, Leesburg, VA 20176. PHMA mem­bers re­ceive this pub­li­ca­tion at the an­nu­ al sub­scrip­tion rate of $30.

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Unless otherwise stated, ar­ti­cles and ed­i­to­ri­als express the views of their au­thors and not nec­es­sar­i­ly those of PHMA, the editors, or the pub­lish­er. An­nounce­ments and ad­ver­ tise­ments in this pub­li­ca­tion for prod­ucts and ser­vic­es do not im­ply the en­dorse­ment of PHMA or any of its members or staff.

Postmaster: Send subscription/address changes to: Defense Communities, 154 Fort Evans Road, NE, Leesburg, VA 20176 or e-mail: phmaoffice@earthlink.net.

Defense Communities magazine is designed to keep those who operate and manage the whole spectrum of military housing and facilities maintenance informed on the industry’s latest technology, products, and services. It provides a forum for members to share lessons learned, news and events, and training opportunities and updates.

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2015 3

H OUS I NG S P OT L I GHTS

NAVY

Quality Housing and Excellent Customer Service at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida

A

long the scenic St. Johns River lies Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, the birthplace of the Naval Flight Demonstration Squadron Blue Angels and now home to the new P-8 Trident aircraft. The P-8 is used for anti-submarine warfare, antisurface warfare, and shipping interdiction, along with an electronic signals intelligence. In addition, the SH-60R Seahawk helicopter also is a major composite of NAS Jacksonville with its anti-submarine warfare and combat search and rescue capabilities.

There is a rich military history of NAS Jacksonville that began in 1907 when the site was selected for state militia training. Aviation history started on Dec. 4, 1916, when New York millionaire Earl Dodge opened an aviation training camp on the site of what is today the Commanding Officer’s building.

On Oct. 15, 1940, NAS Jacksonville was commissioned, with Captain Charles P. Mason selected as the first Commanding Officer and with Admiral John Towers in attendance.

NAS Jacksonville was established as a primary flight training base and flight training commenced on Jan. 2, 1941.

Today, NAS Jacksonville is at the forefront of the global war on terror.

NAS Jacksonville is one of the largest employers in northeast Florida that contributes to the growth, prosperity, and annual economic impact valued in excess of $2 billion.

The Housing Service Center (HSC) is led by Mike Herbert, who has more than 35 years of experience in military and college housing. He manages a staff of more than 30 personnel, comprised of Eston Bowen; Beverly Nix; Cynthia

8 DEFENSE COMMUNITIES

TOP: NAS Jacksonsonville HSC staff BOTTOM: NAS Jacksonville enlisted housing

Johnson; Valarie Brown; Vic Deleon; Rosalind Holmes; Stephanie Hart; Stanley Lomax; and other supporting cast members, including sailors, maintenance, and custodial personnel. The staff is one of the finest mixes of personnel assembled to fulfill the needs of sailors—both married and single—and their families. Herbert believes that he and his staff should serve sailors with the assets available, treat customers with the utmost respect and dignity, and build relationships that bind the ties of professionalism as a Navy team.

NAS Jacksonville and its military members have enjoyed the success of the privatization of family housing.

As a result of privatization, all housing for enlisted members was demolished and rebuilt. The older homes were originally constructed in 1974, consisting of cinderblock exteriors and terrazzo flooring. As you can imagine, homes of this age did not provide all the contemporary conveniences or

energy efficiencies. The conundrum of obsolete housing was resolved through a partnership with Balfour Beatty Communities (BBC)—those homes were simply demolished. To that end, military members stationed within the tri-base area of Jacksonville are now afforded the opportunity to reside in one of the 264 new homes that meet and often exceed the needs of modern military families. In addition to enlisted personnel receiving new housing, an added outcome of privatization was that officer housing located in the historic district of NAS Jacksonville underwent renovation that gave those homes a prevailing touch as well.

BBC is responsible for the construction, renovation, maintenance, and day-to-day management of the hous-

H OUS I NG S P OT L I GHTS

ing. “A partnership is an arrangement in which parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests … And that’s exactly what we do!” said Diana Hientz, the community manager for BBC. “In my mind, two heads are better than one. Although Mike Herbert and I see each other almost daily, we do set aside a day to meet weekly to discuss any concerns or issues within the BBC Community. This includes decision making on every level. We provide moral support to each other.

Each of us benefits from the combination of complementary skills and knowledge that we have.”

The NAS Jacksonville HSC stands ready to assist the more than 8,800 active-duty service members stationed at the installation. With such a diverse customer base, HSC Jacksonville is fortunate to be uniquely staffed with prior military members and military spouses to assist and partner with personnel assigned to NAS Jacksonville. This varied mixture of housing professionals results in exceptional customer service.

There is a greater understanding shared between the HSC staff and military members regarding all of the stresses associated with permanent change of station (transfers), deployment, the shipment of household goods, and especially the importance of finding a home at a new duty station.

With a limited quantity of newly constructed or renovated housing as a result of the privatization program, most personnel desiring this type of housing are placed on the housing waitlist. In order to relieve our military members of the anxieties of military moves and securing housing relatively quickly after their arrival, HSC Jacksonville manages a very active Rental Partnership Program (RPP).

The RPP program includes 94 participating apartment complexes and more than 300 homes, townhomes, and condos. The program is second to none in the amount of service

members that are handled each year.

More than 1,200 service members are currently taking advantage of this program, which affords reduced or waived security deposits and discounted rental rates.

All HSC staff members take an enormous amount of pride to ensure service members are well equipped with pertinent information regarding their housing needs and entitlements.

In addition to providing service members information on housing, they also are given the points of contact for schools, history, and attractions in the local area; crime research databases; utility cost; and state programs and benefits for active-duty members and families—all in an effort to make the transfer to NAS Jacksonville less stressful for service members and their families. Cynthia Johnson, the longest tenured staff member, summed it up this way: “We are here so that the service members can go out and fulfill their duty to fight for our country and not worry about their family or somewhere to live when they return.

I love what we do for all our service members.”

During FY14, the HSC documented more than 6,200 individual customer contacts at its office for various housing needs, and ensured all members were well informed of their benefits, housing options, and entitlements while stationed here at NAS Jacksonville.

The Unaccompanied Housing (UH) at NAS Jacksonville also falls under the supervision of HSC Jacksonville and is supervised by Beverly Nix. The UH complex is comprised of 838 rooms and can house 1,640 active-duty military members.

Nix directs a team of civilians and military, and believes she and her staff are leaders in customer care—simply because they are able to make sailors feel at home during their time in UH. As a means to provide quality

NAVY

customer service, a weekly indoctrination program was established for all new sailors checking in to NAS Jacksonville. The program ensures that information concerning management expectations, in terms of resident safety along with comfort and living conditions, is delivered to sailors. It also is a tool that is used to establish a cohesive relationship with UH staff and their customers during their stay in UH. This method creates a family-like atmosphere, which, coupled with great response rates from residents, made it possible for UH Jacksonville to receive the CEL & Associates “A List Crystal Award” in recognition of Customer Service Excellence for five consecutive years.

A major reason for the success of the UH program is the participation of the various commands located aboard NAS Jacksonville. UH depends on the senior enlisted leadership of each command to assist in maintaining cleanliness and sanitation standards of living quarters occupied by their service members.

Excellence in customer service is our commitment, so, in conjunction with the base galley, our service members that are on Rations In Kind are able to enjoy a nutritious “Grab ‘N’ Go” breakfast, Monday through Friday, in the main lobby of UH. This innovative program was initiated to accommodate those service members that are completing physical training, who are often pressed for time in the morning. As an added convenience to residents, there are lounges equipped with TVs, video games, WiFi, Internet, and vending machines. In FY14, a renovation project began to upgrade the exhaust and fresh air-flow system in 251 rooms in order to provide a continued healthy environment for all residents.

NAS Jacksonville has a proud history and continues to strive for a bright future. n

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2015 9

H OUS I NG S P OT L I GHTS

ARMY

Welcoming Yvonne Brabham to the Army Housing Team T

he Army welcomes Yvonne Brabham, the housing operation branch chief at Installation Management Command (IMCOM), Logistics and Public Works, Housing Division. Brabham has more than 15 years of housing experience. Her housing career began with the Air Force (AF) as an intern in the housing program, and she has progressed through the ranks at various locations and different housing career positions.

Her last assignment was with the Air Force at the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC), located at Joint-Base San Antonio-Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, where she was a housing operation portfolio manager for the Air Force Housing Privatization program.

She also assisted in the establishment of the Planning and Integration Directorate at AFCEC, laying the foundation for the AF’s transition to asset management principles and providing strategic enterprise sourcing framework to optimize civil engineer investments and decision-making.

On Oct. 20, 2014, Brabham

assumed her new role as IMCOM housing operation branch chief.

The primary responsibilities of her branch are to develop and implement policies governing the establishment, operation, and performance of Army Housing programs at the region and installation levels for approximately 16,000 Army-owned housing units, 6,500 leased housing units, 335 General Flag Officer’s quarters (GFOQs), and 350,000 permanent party and training barracks. This is accomplished through oversight and management of the GFOQs program, leased housing, operation inspection program, furnishings, enterprise management system, housing service office, and common level of service for family and unaccompanied housing. Brabham and her team provide critical operational oversight and reporting at 75 garrisons and expert guidance to approximately 601 housing careerists and mission partners involved in Army family and unaccompanied housing.

Brabham is a dedicated housing

careerist committed to “Total Army Strong,” and is focused on taking care of our soldiers and their families. It is our pleasure to welcome her to the Army Housing Program and team! n

PHMA will be holding its Annual Board of Directors’ Meeting in March 2015.

Visit PHMA.com for meeting details.

10 DEFENSE COMMUNITIES

UNACCOMPANIED

HOUSING

Unaccompanied But Not Alone Service members find community in the truest sense of the word at Marne Point

By Mary Beth Woodard

M

arne Point at Fort Stewart has proven to be a win-win: offering single soldiers and others a connected living environment, and offering the community staff a rewarding work experience.

Constructed in 2008 and operated

by Balfour Beatty Communities, Marne Point, the Unaccompanied Personnel Housing (UPH) project at Fort Stewart, Georgia, is one of the few residential communities for unaccompanied soldiers developed as part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI).

While the goals for the UPH project are consistent with those established for family housing—delivering quality housing managed and maintained with worldclass customer service—the fulfillment of those duties has proven to be unique and rewarding for both the Balfour Beatty Communities Marne Point team and the residents they serve.

More Than a Place to Call Home Opened in 2008, Marne Point consists of 334 one-bedroom and 36 two-bedroom apartments. The heart of the community, however, is the community club house, 22 DEFENSE COMMUNITIES

which features a wide variety of amenities for residents to enjoy throughout the year, including a mini kitchen, conference room, computer lab, 24-hour fitness center, gaming station, and lounge with a large flat-screen TV, as well as a community pool with picnic areas.

While the community club house may form the foundation of the complex, it is really the dynamic Balfour Beatty Communities staff and LifeWorks programs that foster the rich sense of community and transform a club house into a continuous hub of activity, with ample opportunities for residents to get to know each other and form lasting friendships.

“We recognize that to truly develop a sense of community it is important to get residents out of their homes and create opportunities for them to meet and participate in shared activities with their neighbors,” said Cynthia Jakemedes, Marne Point community manager for Balfour Beatty Communities.

“Community means different things to different people, so we really strive to organize a wide variety of events, serving many interests.”

The residents of Marne Point have come to treasure the planned annual

social events and look forward to such highlights as the yearly Chili Cook-Off, Super Bowl viewing party, Summer Bash pool party, and, more recently, a cornhole tournament that was “by far the best event so far,” according to resident Ryan Celko.

Holidays are never a lonely time if you are a resident at Marne Point, with activities such as the Halloween pumpkin carving and costume contests and the Valentine’s Day cake decorating contest.

Also, cooking classes with themes like “Barbecue” or “Taco Night” help residents who may be living on their own for the first time learn how to cook simple and healthy meals at home. There recently have been some new events added to the LifeWorks program to encourage involvement by the married couples that also are eligible to reside at Marne Point, including a “How Well Do You Know Your Spouse?” contest, Bunco nights, and education programs for new moms and moms-to-be.

Forging Personal Relationships As you might expect, the majority of residents are younger, with some living away from home for the first time. This

demographic can present unique challenges but also opportunities for the community management team.

The community management staff is available to assist residents with day-today life tasks like setting up apartments, locating services in the local community, and even finding transportation. “We recently helped match a single soldier without a car with another resident in the same service unit who has a car so that they could commute together,” said Jakemedes. “That’s what five-star service means when you operate unaccompanied housing.”

The team members are proud of their relationships with residents, and may find themselves in the role of a stand-in parent for residents who are still getting accustomed to life far from family and friends. “We recently had a single soldier receive a birthday care package from home and he stopped in to our office to let us know,” said Jakemedes. “Rather than have him go back to his apartment and open everything alone, we had him open his gifts with our team so that we could celebrate with him a bit. We also took photos that he was able to send to his mom, which she was thrilled about.

It’s these little things that can make a big difference in someone’s day.”

In the early years of managing Marne Point, the community staff had some reservations about potential challenges due to the large difference in the rank of the residents. However, soldiers in the ranks of Private through Colonel have chosen to be residents of Marne Point and without issue. “Rank really comes off after 5:00 around here,” said Jakemedes.

“Of course it is always respected, but our residents know what to expect in living

here, and they tend to find they have a lot more in common than not, regardless of rank.”

Residents are quick to express their appreciation for the extra efforts the Marne Point team puts forth. “The staff here is awesome to work with,” said resident John Drummond. “Marne Point provides a comfortable environment for those soldiers who are considered geographical bachelors. It’s been a great place to live within the Fort Stewart HAAF area.”

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2015 23

Rendering of the community center with pool

Not Just for Single Soldiers While Marne Point was designed as housing for unaccompanied soldiers, over time the target audience for the property has evolved with prevailing market conditions. The property is currently open for rent to all soldiers who receive a housing allowance, as well as military retirees and civilian Department of Defense (DoD) employees. Unaccompanied soldiers still represent the majority, with 70 percent of the residents falling in this category.

Many are occupying one-bedroom units, but some have elected to share living costs and a two-bedroom apartment.

More than a quarter of current residents are soldiers and their families, and the remaining 4 percent are retirees and civilian DoD employees.

As mentioned earlier, the growing diversity of the resident population has required the community management team to become more creative with its LifeWorks events to ensure the program includes something for all our residents.

A+ Living Residents living at Marne Point recently participated in a national customer satisfaction survey, the results of which garnered the Balfour Beatty Communities team a Platinum A+ Award for the property—the highest level of customer service excellence in property management.

As part of the survey, residents graded 24 DEFENSE COMMUNITIES

the property owners and management company on all topics, from leasing and operations, to specific unit features and amenities, appearance, and condition, as well as the quality of maintenance, resolution response time, resident communications, and other important service criteria. “The community is very nice and

rewards and challenges presented in the operation of housing for unaccompanied soldiers. While different from owning and operating family housing, Marne Point has delivered on the MHPI goal of bringing improved, quality housing to our service members that is managed and maintained with world-class

“We recognize that to truly develop a sense of community it is important to get residents out of their homes and create opportunities for them to meet and participate in shared activities with their neighbors.” —Cynthia Jakemedes the staff is very friendly and helpful,” said resident Shealeana Stewart.

“Our residents have a choice about where they live and we care deeply about their feedback, suggestions, and—ultimately—the quality of their experience living with us,” said Jakemedes. “We are thrilled that our efforts are clearly having an impact with the residents as shown in these overwhelmingly positive survey results.”

Seven years later, the Marne Point community has highlighted the many

customer service. All members of the military deserve this accommodation, including our unaccompanied or single soldiers, and the services’ partners in privatized military housing projects are clearly uniquely positioned to deliver in the future. n Mary Beth Woodard is the area community manager for Balfour Beatty Communities. For more information about Marne Point, go to www.fortstewartsinglesoldierliving.com.

ADVERTISING INDEX Company

Contact

Phone

Web Site

Coit Cleaning & Restoration

Shawn Aghababian

800/367-2648

www.coit.com

Page 38

Corvias Group

Amanda Filipowski

401/228-2800

www.corvias.com

C3

Kaba ADS America

Mark Allen

336/723-1331

www.kaba-adsamericas.com

Salsbury Industries

Ricardo Alva

323/846-6700

www.mailboxes.com

36

Universal Storage Containers

Rod Bolls, Vice President

720/263-5687

www.universalstoragecontainers.com

C4

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

Customer Service

800/644-8083

www.wellsfargo.com

C2

Yardi Systems, Inc.

Spencer Stewart

800/866-1144

www.yardi.com

1

5