Mighty Ninety, Cheyenne strengthen bond

Published Dec. 17, 2015
By Senior Airman Jason Wiese
90th Missile Wing Public Affairs

F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- Col. Stephen Kravitsky, 90th Missile Wing commander; Cheyenne Mayor Rick Kaysen; and Dr. Joe Schaffer, Laramie County Community College president, signed several agreements Dec. 15 here, which give the base and local community greater access to each other's services and aims to strengthen the bond between the military and civilian communities.

"The base and city have grown up together, hand-in-hand, since 1867," Kravitsky said. "There's no shortage of mutual respect and partnership between us, and I'm glad to be part of something that further strengthens that relationship."

The efforts are part of the Air Force Community Partnership Program, which aims to reduce operating and service costs to achieve mutual value and benefit through partnerships.

The AFCP Program, one of the 13 Make Every Dollar Count initiatives launched by the Air Force, is currently working with more than 50 installations and local communities to improve and strengthen community and Air Force partnerships.

"This is the way of the future for the Department of Defense," Kravitsky said. "We have to look at doing things a better way."

The documents signed involve various military and civilian organizations, and benefit both the city and F.E. Warren.

"In this current environment of declining budgets, in both the community and the base, there's a lot of incentive to partner and reduce costs and share resources," said Maj. Shawn Booher, who headed the base's AFCP Program efforts. "For the Air Force, that means we can put more money toward aircraft and Airmen; for the community that means they can reduce their overall expenses and chip away at higher-priority projects they have."

One example of a partnership Mighty Ninety Airmen can benefit from is an agreement between the base and LCCC, which will lead to an annual career fair, intended to streamline the transition of active-duty Airmen into civilian careers.

"It's a great way for our military to find employment in the local area, and it provides the local area with a skilled workforce," said Jody Clarke, 90th FSS Airman & Family Readiness Center director.

Another partnership between the base and community is an arrangement that allows annual pass holders of the Warren Golf Course and Cheyenne Golf Courses to play three rounds at each location, which assists with membership recruitment and retention.

Additionally, Kravitsky, Kaysen and other local officials signed a charter establishing the F.E. Warren Community Partnership Leadership Council. Its mission is to identify requirements and needs for the base and Greater Cheyenne community partners and to develop ways to meet those needs.

"We [formalized] what we've been doing for many, many decades," Kaysen said. "That is a good cooperative, coordinated effort between base personnel as well as the community of Cheyenne."

Kaysen also signed a memorandum facilitating coordination between the FSS and the City of Cheyenne Parks and Recreation Department to develop a partnership for youth sports programs to allow military families more access to sports.

"One of the most important things to have is recreational activities for kids," said Chuck Finney, 90th FSS Youth Sports director.

Some of the partnerships are not yet in effect because they are still being coordinated by base and local officials.

An agreement to be signed soon licenses the use of the Warren Auto Skills Center by LCCC classes for hands-on learning. Although LCCC has facilities to provide training to their students, they are at maximum capacity, and partnering with the base will allow them to get the hands-on training necessary for automotive expertise, Schaffer said.

"That's most important, getting in and getting their hands dirty, turning wrenches, getting the confidence you need," said Greg Winters, 90th Force Support Squadron Auto Skills Center mechanic.

Likewise, other agreements base leadership intends to sign in the near future will allow LCCC students enrolled in culinary classes to use the Trail's End Event Center's food preparation areas for practical learning. The agreements will also allow LCCC and University of Wyoming information technology students to use 90th Communications Squadrons facilities for the same reason.

"As public entities, funded primarily by public resources, we have an obligation to operate in the most effective and efficient manner," said Schaffer. "Thus, partnership is not only ideal, but also a necessity as public dollars decline."

Another partnership will result in an implementation of the "Keep Cheyenne Clean" program in which both the base and Cheyenne share responsibilities in battling litter in areas both on and off base.

However, Warren's AFCP Program efforts are not ending with these initiatives.

"It's just a start," Booher said. "These initial five agreements we signed today give credibility to the program. I think we have a lot of opportunities to partner and reap more benefits."

Kravitsky said he hopes a major source of ideas for building more partnerships will be from Airmen in the 90th MW.

"Airmen at all levels are innovative, smart and willing to be part of things greater than themselves," he said. "I want to hear all of their ideas for ways to move ahead with this program."