Defense Communities

Defense

THE MAGAZINE OF MILITARY HOUSING, LODGING & LIFESTYLES

COMMUNITIES MAY/JUNE 2015

www.phma.com

USACE’s construction in the Arctic Circle page 32

Housing privatization partners, DoD, and NAA unite at June education conference page 35

Tips for adding curb appeal to your community this summer page 36

All About Family

How resident activity programs build community and enhance lives

CONTENTS 20 22

16

Special Section: Engaging With Residents

16 Be Present!

By leveraging digital, physical, and social resources, Balfour Beatty Communities demonstrates how housing managers can easily and affordably develop a successful resident engagement plan.

By Laylan Pennel

20 Making a Legacy Last

Hunt’s Military Communities division is going one step further in creating a lasting legacy by forming partnerships with agencies both on and off the military installations where it operates.

By Dixie Lanier Johnson

22 Living, Made Better

Corvias provides individual and family support and facilitates opportunities to connect with the community

to create a meaningful resident experience for more than 20,000 families across 13 military installations.

By Angela French Marcum

26 Make Time To Take Time

Forest City seeks to ensure residents and families enjoy living in thriving communities where lifetime memories are created and shared.

By Kari K. Diaz

29 Building the Ultimate Living Experience

Throughout Lend Lease’s housing portfolio, the amenities, programs, and services provided to service members and their families help to fulfill its commitment to improve the quality of life of our nation’s heroes.

By Staci Murphy

FEATURES 32 Top Priority at the Top of the World

36 Landscaping Fixes and Facelifts

35 NAA Champions Privatized Housing

40 A Proven Process

Thule Air Base has remained largely the same since the Air Force arrived in the 1950s, but construction of two new dormitories is a welcome change.

By JoAnne Castagna, PhD

For the fifth year, the PMHC has developed sessions relevant to the privatized military housing industry at NAA’s annual conference—including current events and program updates from the DoD.

By Ashley Gorski Poole

2 DEFENSE COMMUNITIES

If your community center is only slightly more inviting than the tool shed, employ these easy and inexpensive options to improve key areas for residents.

By Pete Moscufo, RLA, ASLA

Air Force Lodging has utilized refinishing to add years of life to existing bathroom and kitchen surfaces and control occupancy maintenance costs—all big priorities for privatized housing.

By Don Dominick

Defense

THE MAGAZINE OF MILITARY HOUSING, LODGING & LIFESTYLES

COMMUNITIES

May/June 2015 u Volume 26, Number 3 u www.phma.com

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

Art Director Ad Sales Manager

36 Don’t miss these departments: Spotlights, page 8 n Services Corner, page 12

42 Military Marketplace 44 Corporate Sustaining Members

46 Ad Index

6 Association News

Earlier this year, PHMA presented awards to recipients at numerous military installations around the world who exemplify the association’s vision and mission to contribute toward quality housing and exceptional service for our Service members and their families.

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

NEXT EDITORIAL DEADLINE:

September/October - July 17th

Advertising Sales Manager Alison Bashian Content Communicators LLC 800/335-7500; fax 440/232-0398 alisonb@contentcommunicators.com

PHMA Office 154 Fort Evans Road, NE, Leesburg, VA 20176 703/771-1888; fax 703/771-0299 phmaoffice@earthlink.net www.phma.com

DEPARTMENTS PHMA President Del Eulberg recaps the association’s 2015 board meeting and discusses ideas for improving member outreach in the coming year.

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Editorial Office 15004 NE 11th Street, Vancouver, WA 98684 571/594-1730 phmadefensecommunities@earthlink.net

n Housing

4 President’s Message

Josephine Rossi Barbara Sincere Christine Umbrell Janelle Welch Alison Bashian

ABOUT THE COVER:

PO2 Terrel Richardson and his sons enjoy time together at the playground located in Meuse Forest neighborhood at Fort Meade, Maryland. Photo courtesy of Corvias Military Living.

Executive Director Jon R. Moore 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.

Nonmembers’ annual sub­scrip­tion rate is $100. Send sub­ scription re­quests to Defense Communities at PHMA. Periodi­ cals post­age paid at Leesburg, VA, and ad­di­tion­al mail­ing offices.

Defense Communities, ©2015, Pro­fes­sion­al Hous­ing Management As­so­ci­a­tion. All rights re­served. All con­tents of this pub­li­ca­tion are pro­tect­ed by copy­right; how­ev­er, they may be re­pro­duced in whole or in part with prior ap­prov­al of the publisher. Prior to photocopying items for educational classroom, internal, or personal use, or to request rights to republish an article, please request re­print permission from Editor, Defense Communities, phmadefensecommunities@ earthlink.net.

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.

MAY | JUNE 2015 3

AS S O C IA T I ON NEW S

2014 PHMA Awards

I

n January, February, and March of this year, the 2014 PHMA Awards were presented to winners at numerous military installations around the world. The award recipients exemplify PHMA’s vision and mission to contribute toward quality housing and exceptional service for our Service members and their families. These individuals and teams serve as a catalyst to inspire other housing professionals and their organizations to continue to provide quality housing for years to come. These awardees not only provide exemplary customer service, but they also represent values and ideals of PHMA and reflect a positive professional image as PHMA members.

Congratulations to the 2014 recipients!

PHMA & Chapter Awards: • Outstanding Chapter Officer: Isabel Allen, Old Dominion Chapter #37 • Outstanding Chapter Officer: Helen Kenyon, Royal Chapter #63 • Outstanding Chapter Member: Lisa Fiore, Royal Chapter #63 • Defense Communities Writing Excellence Award: Vicki Sharp

Col Thomas McCarthy, Chief of Staff, MCIEAST-MCB and Bernadette Smith, Award Winner

U.S. Air Force Awards: • Outstanding Senior Housing Manager: MSgt William H. Proctor Jr., Vandenberg AFB • Outstanding Mid-Level Housing Manager: SSgt Watthanakit Wannakun, Spangdahlem AB • Outstanding Housing/Billeting Employee: Delores J. Rosette, Langley AFB • Outstanding Housing Installation Team—Traditional Location: 52d Civil Engineer Squadron Housing Management Office, Spangdahlem AB • Outstanding Housing Installation Team—Privatized Location: 75 CEG/CEIH and Boyer Hill Military Housing, Hill AFB

U.S. Army Awards: • Outstanding Senior Housing Manager: Don Brannon, ACSIM • Outstanding Mid-Level Housing Manager: Dawn Hines, Balfour Beatty Communities, Fort Detrick, Maryland • Outstanding Housing/Billeting Employee: Amber Humphries Barnes, Balfour Beatty Communities, Fort Stewart, Georgia

6 DEFENSE COMMUNITIES

Jocelyn Cardona, Award Winner and CAPT Michael Coury, Commanding Officer Naval Station Everett

U.S. Coast Guard: • Outstanding Senior Housing Manager: David N. Bolanz, Base Cleveland • Outstanding Mid-Level Housing Manager: CWO Eli N. Loftus, Norfolk, Virginia • Outstanding Housing/Billeting Employee: YN3 Laurin R. Malone, Base Alameda • Outstanding Housing Installation Team—Traditional Location: Coast Guard Sector Sault Sainte Marie

AS S O C I A T I ON NEW S

•

U.S. Marine Corps: • Outstanding Senior Housing Manager: Bernadette S. Smith, Camp Lejeune • Outstanding Mid-Level Housing Manager: Hui Jenny Monroe, Westpac Inn Camp Smedley D. Butler • Outstanding Housing/Billeting Employee: Billy J. Ward Jr., Camp Pendleton • Outstanding Housing Installation Team—Privatized Location: Lincoln Military Housing and Military Housing Office, MCAS Yuma

U.S. Navy: • Outstanding Senior Housing Manager: Quani L. Fuentes, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas • Outstanding Mid-Level Housing Manager: Jocelyn M. Cardona, NS Everett, Washington • Outstanding Housing/Billeting Employee: Giannis Grivas, NSA Souda Bay • Outstanding Housing Installation Team—Traditional Location: NB Kitsap Housing Office • Outstanding Housing Installation Team—Privatized Location: NAS Pensacola Communities and Navy Installation Housing Team n

CAPT Gil Miller, Commanding Officer NAS Fort Worth JRB and Quani Fuentes, Award Winner

SM

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MAY | JUNE 2015 7

H OUS I NG S P OT L I GHTS

NAVY

Naval Base Kitsap Housing Proves Teamwork Works Bangor, Bremerton, Jackson Park, and Keyport, Washington

N

aval Base Kitsap (NBK) is located on the Kitsap Peninsula in the West Puget Sound region and situated in one of the most beautiful locations in the world. The area features a unique setting and offers a variety of activities and opportunities for service members and their families. NBK is the largest naval installation in Navy Region Northwest. Housing for service members and families is spread out in four separate locations: Bremerton, Bangor, Jackson Park, and Keyport, Washington.

The NBK housing team oversees the management of 31 unaccompanied housing (UH) buildings, which consist of 3,832 beds and 2,206 family housing units that were privatized under the Navy’s public/private venture (PPV) program. The NBK housing team also provides other support functions, including a housing referral service, off-base housing inspections, lease interpretations, health and safety inspections, and mediation/issue resolution services.

During 2014, the NBK housing team experienced a significant number of achievements, including recognition through numerous awards.

Shirley Schmidt, NBK housing director and 26-year career veteran of the housing program, was selected as the Naval Base Kitsap Civilian Employee of the Year (Supervisory Category).

PHMA recognized the exceptional NBK housing staff with the Traditional Outstanding Housing Installation Team award. CEL & Associates presented Crystal Awards to NBK Naval Hospital UH for Bremerton’s Schon Hall buildings. “A List” Awards went to NBK UH buildings Schon Hall and

8 DEFENSE COMMUNITIES

Bangor - Naval Base is part of the Naval Base Kitsap group.

B-1044 at Bremerton. These awards were received with great pride, and serve as a testament to the team’s dedication and exceptional service by truly providing a “home away from home.”

Nevertheless, this team has not been resting on its laurels. Despite a challenging year of furloughs amidst the government shutdown and many contract changes, the NBK housing team continued to diligently work together to ensure customers and residents were provided with world-class service.

One of the keys to success for the NBK housing team is that the position descriptions for housing management assistants and housing managers have functional responsibilities in both UH and the family housing programs.

Schmidt frequently conducts cross training for her employees, which provides flexibility in staffing whenever and wherever the need is greatest during peak work hours and special events.

An example of the staff’s ability to quickly adapt was its exceptional response when the conveyance of Jackson Park Housing to PPV was delayed, and the Base Operating Services Contract (BOSC) supporting the 870 units expired. The entire NBK

team, including both civilians and military personnel, worked together to overcome obstacles during this transition period. In December of 2014, one of the most notable successes was the team’s ability to rapidly mobilize and inspect 570 vacant units to identify furnaces or thermostats that required immediate service in an effort to prevent additional damage to the units from impending freezing temperatures during a record cold period. Despite the challenges, the team kept a “customer first” attitude and continued to provide excellent service by partnering with the incoming privatization partner, other installation activities, Region N9, and the regional housing team.

“I like helping people and figuring out how to get things done,” said Schmidt. “I get to do both in this job … Lots of customers, commands, and employee interactions, and many projects of various sizes to manage.” She says she enjoys the challenge of figuring out “how to put who, where to get [the job] done with what resources, in what timeline, and with the limited staff we have without inconveniencing too many people. It’s all like a jigsaw puzzle that needs to be put together.”

H OUS I NG S P OT L I GHTS

She attributes much of the team’s success to the “great support system from our captain and command group, our regional housing office. Also, my boss, Lynne Flynn (she’s fabulous, by the way) and our combined military and civilian staff that always seem to pull together to accomplish miracles.” The ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles may need to be added to Schmidt’s position description because she and her team seem to do it routinely. A standard oneliner used by the team, according to CS2 Jasmine Roberts is, “Hi, how can we help you?” This team is always looking for opportunities to provide assistance.

In the past year, the UH staff has conducted oversight of five renovation projects—valued at more than $40 million—while maintaining a 99 percent occupancy level. Their superb coordination included hundreds of reassignments and was well received by command leadership, resulting in a newfound partnership between the UH staff and the affected commands. This relationship allowed for a smooth transition for residents between renovation projects. Many of the renovation projects will contribute to the overall goal of reducing costs while maintaining a high level of service. The most unique project was the conversion of the heating system for two UH buildings to a groundsource heat pump system. This project included drilling 96 holes that are 350-feet deep and creating a loop system that allows heating and cooling from the earth. Another renovation project at Bangor transformed two 2+0 rooms with a lounge into large two-bedroom market-style apartments with full kitchens and laundry rooms. Other UH initiatives include zero-maintenance landscape projects, roof replacements with 50-year metal roofs, lock project upgrades to radiofrequency identification systems, ventilation system upgrades, kitchen and

10 DEFENSE COMMUNITIES

Naval Base Kitsap was created in 2004 by merging the former Naval Station Bremerton with Naval Submarine Base Bangor.

laundry upgrades, and more.

With a high level of renovation activity, it’s good to have professionals on staff like Noel “Mac” Macabalitao, building manager at Bremerton. “The customers and the challenges” are what he likes best about his job. “Our buildings provide us challenges every day and sometimes our customers do too but my day is never boring,” said Macabalitao.

“What I like best about working here is working with the young people and helping them out,” said Mark Binkley, NBK Bremerton complex manager.

Charlie Schallot, building manager, Bangor, agrees. “I like working with the young folks,” he said. “Young people keep me young.”

When the contract for front desk services changed from BOSC to Navy Gateway Inns & Suites (NGIS), the NBK housing staff provided assistance and conducted training with the new NGIS employees to ensure daily operations continued without impacting new customers and existing residents.

During the transition period, the NBK staff worked closely with the NGIS employees to complete the issuance of linen inventory, the purchase of new bedding, the establishment of the linen standard operating procedures,

NAVY

and the training of personnel on the new processes. Additionally, the Housing Service Center educated the new staff on how to integrate CNIC N93 Housing Referral guidance with current business practices. This included learning the process for updating rental listings, and contacting and educating landlords/property managers on the process, all while maintaining the integrity of the database without loss of customers. Training and continuous process improvements have proven to be key components in the success of NBK housing team, which has ultimately resulted in improved customer satisfaction.

The NBK housing team informs military members and commands of the various housing services through several effective avenues. Our Navy Region Northwest Fleet and Family Readiness website has proven to be an effective tool to keep service members and their families who are relocated informed about base housing options and, more importantly, connect them with the NBK team directly. On a quarterly basis, we also provide a newsletter to UH residents to keep them informed on upcoming renovation projects and morale-welfare and recreation sponsored events. However, the most effective communication tool has proven to be the face-to-face interaction with our service members at command indoctrinations, ombudsman meetings, quality-of-life briefings, and information fairs.

The NBK housing team is committed to offering residents the finest quality services and accommodations during their tour of duty here in the great Northwest. Our mission is to provide our service members and their families with a “home away from home.” We are here to ensure they have safe, clean, secure, and comfortable accommodations, and that mission is safe in the good hands of Shirley Schmidt and the hardworking NBK housing professionals. n

SE R V IC E S C ORNER

Coast Guard Strives To Improve Housing

By Melissa Fredrickson

A number of actions to address recommendations, gaps, and deficiencies identified in the housing assessment have been taken since 2012, and the Coast Guard continues to improve the state of the family housing program.

Areas of focus include addressing health and safety concerns in family housing, right-sizing the inventory to ensure it is aligned with requirements, addressing the need for new (replacement or additional) housing, and reinvesting funds that were earmarked for housing units that have been divested.

Resolving Housing Health and Safety Concerns

Right-Sizing the Housing Inventory

The Coast Guard’s first priority is to correct health- and safety-related issues within the base level of funding through the prioritization of operational and unit maintenance funding. To address more complex projects, the Coast Guard conducts annual boards at the district and national levels in order to prioritize funding for projects with a clear goal of eliminating health-related issues before they worsen. Funding in Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 included $14.4 million in routine maintenance and small projects and $14 million in major maintenance projects. These funds were used to correct heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems; repair electrical systems; replace unsafe water heaters; and address other health and safety concerns.

Another priority is to identify and divest of surplus housing. Since 2010, approximately 1,080 homes have been identified as being excess to requirements and were approved for divestiture. These homes represent approximately one quarter of the Coast Guard’s family housing inventory. In 2014, the Coast Guard executed a reimbursable work authorization (RWA) with the General Services Administration to sell 13 properties, consisting of 234 housing units. This agreement is in addition to the RWA previously executed in 2013 for the sale of 131 housing units and one land parcel already in various stages of the sales process.

The goal is to continue to identify and dispose of surplus housing in FY 2015 and beyond. This is critical to ensure the inventory reflects the current requirement.

2013 demolition of Coast Guard family and unaccompanied housing at Fort Wadsworth.

12 DEFENSE COMMUNITIES

Photos: Christian Santiago

T

he Coast Guard completed a national housing assessment in 2012 to determine the state of our family housing inventory. The assessment answered basic questions, such as the following: • Does our inventory meet our requirements?

• Where are the best and worst housing sites?

• What and where are the investment priorities for Coast Guard-owned family housing?

Development of Regional Maintenance Contracts The Coast Guard is consolidating existing maintenance contracts within the San Francisco Bay area to reduce overhead and administrative costs.

Development of regional maintenance contracts in other locations has been deferred while the Coast Guard focuses on right-sizing the inventory.

stagnant and declining federal budgets forecasted for FY 2016 and beyond.

The Coast Guard’s commitment to housing programs in recent years has been clear. I remain optimistic about the nation’s commitment to continue to fund these critical programs and confident in the ability of Coast Guard

housing support staffs to provide the services those members and their families have come to rely on. n Melissa Fredrickson is chief of Coast Guard Housing at Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C. Reach her at melissa.m.fredrickson@uscg.mil.

Addressing the Requirement for New Housing The Coast Guard’s Acquisition, Construction, and Improvement FiveYear Capital Investment Plan identifies investment priorities for the housing program and includes a number of both unaccompanied and family housing projects. The requirement for new housing is identified through review of historic and ongoing surveys, housing market assessments, and other measures. Current priorities include construction of housing for personnel stationed in Jonesport, Maine; Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; and Kodiak, Alaska.

Reinvestment of Divestiture Funds Operational and unit maintenance funds associated with the houses scheduled for divestiture are being retained and reinvested in the remaining inventory. The budget development process includes input and guidance from the Coast Guard’s housing asset line managers to ensure the most critical maintenance priorities are funded. Depot-level funds associated with divested houses are retained to fund disposal (demolition and sale) of remaining surplus housing.

Since 2012, great strides and improvements in the Coast Guard family housing program have been completed, but work still remains. Our challenge in the coming years is not just to maintain our current inventory, but to continue to renovate and replace homes for our members and their families. Unfortunately, it will be even more difficult to execute the projects that have been identified with the

MAY | JUNE 2015 13

Special Section: Engaging With Residents

Corvias Military Living

Balfour Beatty Communities

Hunt’s Military Communities

Forest City Military Communities

Lend Lease Public Partnerships Lend Lease Public Partnerships

14 DEFENSE COMMUNITIES

Lend Lease Public Partnerships

Corvias Military Living

Balfour Beatty Communities

Hunt’s Military Communities

Forest City Military Communities

| FEAT U R E |

Top Priority at the Top of the World The construction of two new dormitories for service members and contractors is a welcome change on remote Thule Air Base in the Arctic Circle

By JoAnne Castagna, PhD

32 DEFENSE COMMUNITIES

Area surrounding Thule Air Base, Greenland, located in the Arctic Circle

Photo: JoAnne Castagna

I

t is 9 p.m. and 2 degrees Fahrenheit at Thule Air Base, located in the northwestern corner of Greenland in the Arctic Circle, and a team of engineers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is haggard after a long overnight flight that was followed by a day of conducting site visits to numerous projects. The team members were about to call it a day when they decided to tour the air base museum.

They stepped out from the sharp, cold air into a warm building where a pleasant woman wearing a parka greeted them. She enthusiastically showed them around and told them that she has been living and working at the remote base since the 1960s. Ornate memorabilia was on display, including photos of visiting dignitaries, a large round radar screen, and a wooden sled used by the native Inuit people with a manikin wearing a fur hunting outfit.

The group was about to leave the museum when the curator asked if they wanted to watch an old filmstrip about the history of the air base. They wearily sat down in front of a large screen, and the film described how the base was secretly and quickly constructed in the early 1950s because of its strategic location in support of U.S. national security. In record time, massive amounts of supplies, equipment, and 120,000 men were transported to Thule Air Base to

complete construction. This enormous effort, which included the USACE, was an incredible feat that was fueled by the country’s intense need to preserve the American way of life. It seemed fitting that the team watched the film and met this devoted woman because it reminded them of why they were there.

For decades, the USACE New York District has constructed facilities for Thule Air Base under extreme arctic conditions.

These projects have included aircraft runways, dormitories, and medical centers.

Presently, two dormitories are under construction. “These new dormitories will

help to provide airmen with the quality of life they deserve on a difficult assignment to Thule Air Base in the Arctic Circle,” said New York District Commander Col. Paul Owen. “Thule’s remoteness and harsh climate restrict all personnel assigned there to live on base, which is why it’s so important to provide top-notch housing facilities.”

Thule Air Base (pronounced “twolee”) was established to perform national security and is the U.S. Armed Forces’ northernmost installation. The Air Force performs several missions there, including monitoring the airspace for foreign

Photos: JoAnne Castagna

missiles. To perform the missions, hundreds of active-duty Air Force personnel and American, Danish, and Greenlandic civilian contractors are stationed there.

Quality housing is required to keep individuals safe from the harsh weather, and it also assists in providing an environment that fosters positive morale in this very remote area of the world.

The dormitories were designed by the USACE New York District and are being constructed by Danish contractors with the supervision by the USACE. (For those of you who don’t know, Greenland is a province of Denmark.) This year, construction will be completed and the

dorms will be ready for occupancy. The dormitories are replacing facilities that were constructed in the 1950s and have seen better days and much wear from the harsh arctic climate. One of the dorms will house 54 people and is being constructed

by Contractor MT Højgaard Gronland A/S of Søborg, Denmark. The second dorm will provide housing for 48 people and is being constructed by Contractor Pilegaard-Henriksen of Denmark.

The dorms will provide quality housing for junior and senior noncommissioned officers visiting or on temporary duty. The facilities are three stories, and rooms are divided into four-bedroom

(Top) The 54-person dormitory under construction (Bottom left) Contractors work inside one of the dormitories (Bottom right) Engineering team discusses one of the dorm construction projects

MAY | JUNE 2015 33

| FEAT U R E |

Photo: JoAnne Castagna

The 48-person dormitory under construction

modules with individual bathrooms, walk-in closets, a shared social space, housekeeping areas, and laundry rooms on each floor. In the center of each floor, there is a common area day room with a kitchen, full appliances, and large windows overlooking the base, providing occupants with a place where they can relax and socialize. The dorms are constructed using techniques that will withstand the harsh arctic elements. Some of these techniques include using special arctic foundations, steel frames, insulated panel exteriors, and pitched metal roofs.

Construction in the Arctic Construction in the Arctic is challenging due to severe weather and limited daylight; therefore, it requires the use of unique building techniques and fastpaced construction. One of the great34 DEFENSE COMMUNITIES

est challenges is ice. Most of northern Greenland is covered with permafrost, which is permanently frozen ground, ranging from six to 1,600 feet in depth.

Because of permafrost, the dorms are being constructed with a special elevated arctic foundation. Buildings must be off the ground to prevent the heat from inside the building melting the permafrost, making the ground unstable and ultimately resulting in the building collapsing. The buildings are elevated one meter from the ground with the use of spread footings that are approximately 10-feet deep and concrete columns that support the floor system above the ground.

Another challenge to construction in the Arctic is limited daylight. Because of Thule’s proximity to the North Pole, there are 24 hours of sunlight from May

through August and 24 hours of darkness from November through February. As a result of limited daylight, construction is restricted to May through October, when there is sufficient sunlight and temperatures are bearable for the workers. Temperatures can reach 40 degrees Fahrenheit. During the summer months, shipments of building materials and fuel can be received via cargo because Greenland’s iced shipping lanes are broken up to allow ships into port; otherwise, Greenland is locked in by ice nine months out of the year. During the remainder of the year, there is no sunlight and the weather is too harsh to work outdoors. Temperatures can drop as low as minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Since construction work must be performed quickly, most of the building materials are prefabricated elsewhere prior to shipment. Prefabrication allows the workers to perform the construction at an accelerated pace. These materials include concrete foundations, structural steel, insulated metal walls, and roof panels. It is critical that the dorms’ outer shells be completed in the summertime so that interior work is not interrupted during the winter months. The interior work includes the installation of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems that are designed to withstand the extremely frigid, subzero temperatures.

There are many things about Thule Air Base that remain unchanged since the Air Force arrived in the 1950s—the harsh weather conditions, the importance of the base to our national security, and the dedication of the men and women who serve our nation. However, the construction of two dormitories for our dedicated service members and contractors is a welcome change. n JoAnne Castagna, PhD, is a public affairs specialist and writer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District.

Reach her at joanne.castagna@usace. army.mil. Follow her on Twitter at twitter. com/writer4usacenyc.

| FEAT U R E |

NAA Champions Privatized Housing Annual conference provides the PMHC a venue to discuss challenges, determine solutions, and share success stories

By Ashley Gorski Poole

T

he National Apartment Association (NAA) Board established the Privatized Military Housing Committee (PMHC) to represent and recognize the special requirements of property management professionals engaged in the management of privatized military housing. The primary focus of the PMHC is to discuss, examine, and recommend industry-wide policies and standards that ultimately benefit the quality of life of military residents while improving efficiency of operations. Committee membership is open to representatives of any management company or owners involved in privatized military housing.

Vendors who work with and support privatized military housing also may participate. The committee meets three times per year during regularly scheduled NAA conferences and expositions.

For the fifth consecutive year, the PMHC Education Subcommittee worked hard to develop breakout sessions at NAA’s premier annual education conference. The sessions are not only relevant to the privatized military housing industry, but are applicable and important to all attendees, and feature topics such

as marketing strategies; advanced technologies in facilities management; and human resources trends, including hiring veterans or personnel with post-traumatic stress disorder. The subcommittee develops and submits three to four sessions for consideration each year.

At the annual NAA conference, one of the sessions includes individuals from the Department of Defense (DoD) leadership and representatives from each of the services. The session is a forum that allows for the DoD to discuss program updates or current events, such as changes to the composition of the basic housing allowance, restructuring and downsizing of our military forces, and potential base realignment and closure actions.

Another highlight of the conference is the extensive tradeshow that attracts hundreds of exhibitors and suppliers who are on hand with product demonstrations and a diverse array of solutions for the multifamily housing industry.

The conference also hosts a special event for multifamily maintenance professionals called “maintenance mania.”

Participants compete against one another for ingenuity and innovative solutions to maintenance problems and challenges.

The NAA conference offers educational opportunities regarding all facets of the operations, technology, marketing, training, and maintenance of multifamily housing and has become a predominant training opportunity among many privatized military housing operators.

This year’s NAA Education Conference and Exposition is being held June 24-27, 2015, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Convention Center in Las Vegas and features notable speakers Giada De Laurentiis and Jay Leno. The military housing sessions include “Marketing Basics for Military Housing and Independent Rental Owners,” “Managing Crisis and Emergency Situations—Risk Communications,” and “Retraining, Reconnecting, and Resiliency: A Dialogue With Armed Services Leadership.” n Ashley Gorski Poole is national marketing manager for Lincoln Military Housing. For more information on sessions and registration, visit the NAA website at educonf.naahq.org. If you are interested in joining PMHC, contact Committee Chair Sam Merrick at smerrick@lpsi.com or Vice Chair Gen Bauer at genbauer@forestcity.net.

MAY | JUNE 2015 35

ADVERTISING INDEX Company

Contact

Phone

Web Site

Page

Corvias Group

Amanda Filipowski

401/228-2800

www.corvias.com

11

HD Supply

877/610-6912

www.hdsupplysolutions.com

Oakwood Corporate Housing

Mary Jacenich

888/268.9998

www.oakwood.com/government

R.J. Thomas Mfg.

Bob Simonsen

800/762-5002

www.pilotrock.com

Salsbury Industries

Ricardo Alva

323/846-6700

www.mailboxes.com

Speed Queen/Alliance Laundry

Kate Holmes

920/748-1671

www.speedqueen.com

Universal Storage Containers

Rod Bolls, Vice President

720/263-5687

www.universalstoragecontainers.com

cover 4

Valley Forge Fabrics

Jason Gans

954/971-1776

www.valleyforge.com

cover 3

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

Customer Service

800/644-8083

www.wellsfargo.com

1

Yardi Systems, Inc.

Spencer Stewart

800/866-1144

www.yardi.com

5

Zeager Bros.

Bob Zeager

800/396-8524

www.zeager.com

38

Cover 2 7 13 outsert 17