By Jason AustinAEDC Public Affairs

Leadership at Arnold Air Force Base announced today, May 29, that a three-phase Return to Full Capac-ity framework will begin Monday June 1.

The initiation of Phase 1 is contingent on active CO-VID-19 case data from the four surrounding counties of Bedford, Coffee, Frank-lin and Grundy, where ap-proximately 75 percent of the workforce resides, re-

maining flat or declining. Phase 1 will be used to

validate risk mitigation strat-egies in place to better protect the health of the workforce. Those strategies involve ap-propriate personal protective equipment, sanitizing materi-als and workplace practices such as physical distancing and room capacity limits.

The Arnold Engineer-ing Development Complex entered an Operationally Urgent posture on April 6 which limited the amount of personnel entering the instal-

lation to perform critical na-tional defense testing to about 23 percent of the workforce. This wing-level decision also impacted the nine geographi-cally separated units across the country, many of whom will also need to comply with host installation guidelines as they implement the RtFC framework.

Phase 1 is estimated to return 500 Arnold AFB em-ployees to the workplace. Supervisors will contact those personnel who will re-turn during Phase 1 by June

1 regarding workplace re-quirements and duties to be performed.

Once the Phase 1 pro-cesses are verified and proven to reduce the risk of viral exposure to the work-force, and sufficient PPE and sanitation materials are on hand, the AEDC Com-mander may then elect to enter Phase 2, which would bring back to the workplace those who can pass the gate screening criteria. Situa-tional telework will remain an option for supervisors to

reduce the risk of their em-ployees.

It remains everyone’s per-sonal responsibility to limit their exposure to potential infection by limiting travel to areas with a high rate of transmission using publicly available data. Employees are encouraged to continue avoiding crowded spaces, wearing protective face cov-erings while in public, wash-ing hands frequently and not touching their face. These personal responsibilities bet-ter protect the individuals,

their families and their co-workers.

Once initiated, Phase 2 will be considered the new nor-mal for some time, with the Air Force predicting the CO-VID-19 pandemic to remain in communities for 18 months or longer.

A presentation on the full RtFC framework as well as a daily update on the trend data AEDC leaders are using to make informed decisions can be found on the Arnold AFB Coronavirus webpage at www.arnold.af.mil/coronavirus.

Arnold AFB, Tenn. June 1, 2020Vol. 67, No. 11

PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE PAIDTULLAHOMA TNPERMIT NO. 29

AEDC leaders detail return-to-full-capacity plan during

virtual town hall…Page 2 …Page 2

Annual AEDC Fellows banquet postponed

AEDC restructuring to provide clarity for future

…Page 3

Arnold AFB to begin Return to Full Capacity June 1

Sec. of the Air Force visits 704th TG facilities at Holloman AFB1st Lt. Hannah Myers, 586th Flight Test Squadron flight test engineer, gives SECAF Barbara Barrett a close look at a T-38A Talon on May 20 at Hol-loman Air Force Base, New Mexico. Barrett visited facilities on base to interact with Airmen who have been working diligently to adapt, innovate and still complete mission operations amid COVID-19. Her visit included the world-class testing facilities of the 704th Test Group. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Quion Lowe)

By Jill PickettAEDC Public Affairs

The Capital Improvements Branch, or TSSI, supports the mission of Arnold Engineering Development Complex by ad-vancing test capabilities through addressing infrastructure needs.

“We partner with our Test Operations and Sustainment contractor to provide the Test and Evaluation infrastructure necessary for execution of the National Defense Strategy,” said Michael Dent, chief of TSSI.

The Branch is part of the Test Systems Sustainment Divi-sion. Project managers within

the Branch support all AEDC mission areas – Flight, Aero-propulsion, Space and Missiles, and Hypersonics – at Arnold Air Force Base; McKinley Climatic Lab at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida; the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex at Moffett Field in Mountain View, California; and the Hy-pervelocity Wind Tunnel 9 at White Oak, Maryland.

“The scope of our programs is $100 million-plus,” Dent said. “We take the needs from our customers, turn those needs into requirements then begin the planning phase, move into

AEDC Capital Improvements Branch manages restoration, modernization, development of infrastructure

Joseph Baxter, right, an AEDC project manager, talks about A Plant Exhauster Motors improve-ments being completed under the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP), seen here Feb. 13 at Arnold Air Force Base. Also pictured, Nathan Harrison, former SLEP manager for the Capital Improvements Branch. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jill Pickett)See CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, page 4

2 • May 18, 2020

Values

Vision

• Ethics. We are uncompromising in our integrity, honesty, and fairness.

• Safety & Health. We are relentless in keeping people safe from harm, andwe provide a safe and healthy work

environment.• Security. We are disciplined and vigilant in protecting sensitive AEDC information and ensuring system integrity to support

national security and our customers.• Excellence. We thrive on challenge, accomplishment, and mission success.• Quality. We are passionate about doing

our work right the first time.• People. We have a mission-focused,inclusive workforce who have a diverse skill set, are committed to success, demonstrate innovation and have a can

do attitude.• Culture. Our team is proud of our diver-sity, inclusiveness, and collaborative work environment. We are proud of what we do

and how we do it.• Relationships. We build positive, long-term business relationships through trust,

respect, and collaboration.• Innovation. We overcome challenges through creativity, perseverance, technol-ogy, and flexibility. We actively seek to

continually improve.• Sustainability. We plan and act for thelong term benefit of our communities and

our environment.

High Mach Staff:Kathy Jacobsen,

NAS Executive Editor

Jill Pickett NAS Editor

Arnold Air Force

Base

Richard TigheGeneral Manager,

National Aerospace Solutions

High Mach is published by Lakeway Publishers, Inc. a pri-vate firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, Arnold Air Force Base, Arnold Engi-neering Development Complex (AEDC) or National Aerospace Solutions (NAS), under exclu-sive written contract with NAS at Arnold AFB, Tenn., 37389.

Everything advertised in this publication will be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital sta-tus, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron.

The High Mach office is located at 100 Kindel Drive, Suite A236, Arnold AFB, Tenn. 37389-1236. Editorial content is edited and prepared by NAS. Deadline for copy is Wednes-day at close of business one week before publication.

This commercial enterprise newspaper is an allowable NAS contractor publication for personnel at Arnold AFB.

The content of High Mach does not necessarily reflect the views of the Air Force, Arnold AFB, AEDC or NAS. The ap-pearance of advertising in this publication does not constitute endorsement of the products or services advertised by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force, Arnold AFB, AEDC, NAS or Lakeway Publishers, Inc.For general information about High Mach, call (931) 454-5655 or visit www.arnold.af.mil.

Core Values• Integrityfirst

• Service before self• Excellence in all

we do

Use High Mach to mar-ket your products and services. Contact Joe at 931-455-4545 or jmartin@tullahomanews.com

“NAS delivers the best aerospace testing

capabilities today and in the future.”

Col. Jeffrey GeraghtyCommander

Jason AustinChief,

Public Affairs

Smoking Policy1. The following revised Arnold AFB smoking policy is effective immediately and applies to all individuals on

Arnold AFB.2. Traditional Tobacco products (e.g. cigars and cigarettes):

a. Smoking is permitted solely in Designated Tobacco Areas (DTAs) identified by designated signage. If nosignage exists, smoking is not permitted in that area. It is the responsibility of all smokers to keep DTAsclean of cigarette butts.

b. Tobacco use on the Arnold AFB Golf Course is permitted, but discouraged based on the health hazardsof tobacco use and secondhand smoke. No smoking is permitted within 50 feet of golf course buildingsexcept in the approved DTA.

c. Smoking in government-owned/leased vehicles is strictly prohibited. Personnel are allowed to smoke in theirpersonal vehicles at any time; however, at no time will personnel discard cigarette butts outside their vehicle.

d. For government employees, the fact that a person smokes has no bearing on the number of breaks theymay take. Breaks should be taken in accordance with the current supervisory and personnel policies thatafford all employees the same break opportunities consistent with good work practices and accomplish-ment of the mission.

3. Smokeless Tobacco products (e.g. snuff and dip):Smokeless tobacco products are not to be restricted to DTAs. Smokeless tobacco use will be permitted in allworkplace areas (inside and out) subject to reasonable safety and sanitary conditions. Specifically, containersof tobacco waste product, including sealed containers, must not be left unattended or disposed of in trashreceptacles. Users of smokeless tobacco must flush tobacco waste down the toilet.

4. Electronic Cigarettes (also known as “e-cigs”):Pursuant to Air Force Instruction (AFI) 40-102, Tobacco Free Living, e-cigs are considered to be equivalent totobacco products; however, e-cigs are not restricted to DTAs and are allowed to be used outdoors at a minimumdistance of 25 feet from building entry/egress points. (This policy is dated July 27, 2016)

Team AEDC,I believe in free and open communications

with our Team AEDC employees, and that’s why we have the Action Line available. People can use the Action Line to clear up rumors, ask ques-tions, suggest ideas on improvements, enter complaints or get other issues off their chests.

The Action Line has been expanded to in-clude an option for your ideas, comments, or suggestions on the AcqDemo personnel sys-tem. Simply call the normal x6000 commander’s action line. You will then be prompted to select option 1 for the Commander’s Action Line or Op-tion 2 for the AcqDemo line. They can access the Action Line via the AEDC intranet home page and by calling 931-454-6000.

Although the Action Line is always available, the best and fastest way to get things resolved is by using your chain of command or by con-tacting the organization directly involved. I en-courage everyone to go that route first, then if the situation isn’t made right, give us a chance.

Col. Jeffrey GeraghtyAEDC Commander

Action Line

By Jill PickettAEDC Public Affairs

The Arnold Commu-nity Council has post-poned the 2020 AEDC Fellows Program induc-tion banquet due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fellows Day has tenta-tively been rescheduled

for Aug. 24 and the banquet for Aug. 25.

AEDC Fellows for 2020 have been select-ed based upon nomina-tions that were received by the March 30 dead-line but have not been announced.

The AEDC Fellows Program is managed

by the Arnold Commu-nity Council. Accord-ing to the information provided on the ACC website, the program recognizes Arnold En-gineering Development Complex personnel “who have made sub-stantial and exception-ally distinguished tech-

nical contributions to the nation’s aerospace ground testing capabil-ity at AEDC.”

The ACC is a non-profit that was founded in 2000 to advocate for the Arnold Engi-neering Development Complex at Arnold Air Force Base. The Coun-

cil represents 13 coun-ties in Tennessee and Alabama.

Disclaimer: The Ar-nold Community Coun-cil is a private orga-nization which is not part of the Department of Defense or any of its components and has no governmental status.

Annual AEDC Fellows banquet postponed

AEDC Arcs Test Facility team presses on during pandemicSeven Hroncich, left, an instrument technician, Robert Bradford, center right, an electrician, Kevin Thompson, right, test operations engineer, Tim Mullins, an outside machinist, and others prepare for a test run in the Arnold Engineering De-velopment Complex (AEDC) Arcs Test Facility Control Room, May 5, at Arnold Air Force Base. The Arcs Facility provides aerothermal ground test simulations of hypersonic flight over a wide range of velocities and pressure altitudes in support of materials and structures development. Team members are maintaining social distancing when possible and wearing masks when not so they can continue the critical national defense mission of AEDC. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jill Pickett) (This im-age was altered by obscuring items for security purposes.)

By Jill PickettAEDC Public Affairs

Arnold Engineer-ing Development Com-plex, headquartered at Arnold Air Force Base in Tennessee and with geographically separat-ed units spread through-out the United States, is reorganizing how the Complex is structured with a goal of more ef-fectively meeting the mission – “To prove the superiority of systems required to meet the de-mands of the National Defense Strategy” – by pursuing three strategic goals: pursue mission excellence, invest in our people and sustain the complex.

Last fall, leaders of AEDC met during a Strategic Planning Conference to consider how to meet the de-mands of the NDS and create the “AEDC We Need.” As part of this effort, the leaders con-sidered how to “most effectively apply wing-

and squadron-level power to the mission,” including potentially altering the organiza-tional structure, roles, responsibilities and au-thorities of AEDC and its people.

After months of discussions and evalu-ations, leadership is moving forward with restructuring the Com-plex into three group-level organizations. There will be two Test Groups – the 704th Test Group and the Test Group at Arnold Air Force Base – and one Mission Support Group.

The Test Group at Arnold Air Force Base will be comprised of the sustainment and operational functions of the current Test Sys-tems Sustainment and Test Operations Divi-sions. It will be called the Test Division until approval of conversion to a group by Head-quarters Air Force. The Mission Support Group

will be called the Test Support Division until conversion is approved.

In addition to the changes to the current divisions, some offic-es will move from the squadron level to the wing level.

“We anticipate that this merger will fos-ter unity of command for more nimble op-erational decisions and comprehensive stra-tegic planning,” said Col. Jeffrey Geraghty, AEDC commander, in an email to the work-force. “We also be-lieve this will result in a more consistent and comprehensive focus on our national defense partners.”

While initially one of the goals was to or-ganize like an Air Force Wing with subordinate units organized in prep-aration for conversion to groups and squad-rons, another goal took precedence.

“In these discus-sions, we fully ac-

knowledged that every organizational structure has its own pros and cons, and no organiza-tion will be perfect,” Geraghty said. “Lead-ers evaluated dozens of different potential structures, including the status quo. We de-termined that clarify-ing the roles, responsi-bilities and authorities will be more important than the organizational structure itself.”

There were con-cerns, though, that without significant changes to the structure the task of defining roles, responsibilities and authorities would be less of a priority, and that was deemed unacceptable for the or-ganization to meet the demands of the future.

“We must position ourselves to excel in a new and challeng-ing environment that is very different than just a few years ago,” Ger-aghty said. “Continuing to operate under the as-

sumptions and norms that evolved over the course of the past 70 years limits our ability to fully realize the po-tential of the dynamic and diverse nationwide organization that we are today.”

Discussions are ongoing to refine the new structure before it is implemented. The deadline for those ef-forts is June 22.

Geraghty invited in-put from the workforce concerning clarifying the roles, responsi-bilities and authorities, with a focus on the mis-sion, as opposed to self, when so doing.

“As always, thank you for your dedica-tion to our extremely important mission to prove the superiority of the systems required to meet the demands of the National Defense Strat-egy. Let’s ensure United States Air and Space Power remains ‘Second to None,’” Geraghty said in closing.

AEDC restructuring to provide clarity for future

May 18, 2020 • 3

By Bradley HicksAEDC Public Affairs

Editor’s Note: Please see, “Arnold AFB to begin Return to Full Capacity June 1,” on page 1 for an update to this story.

Arnold Engineering De-velopment Complex leader-ship has a plan – and a tenta-tive date – to initiate a return to full capacity at Arnold Air Force Base.

This plan was outlined by AEDC Commander Col. Jeffrey Geraghty and AEDC Superintendent Chief Master Sgt. Robert Heckman dur-ing a May 13 virtual town hall, the fifth Facebook Live broadcast Geraghty has host-ed since an Operationally Urgent posture took effect at Arnold last month. In each of these town halls, Geraghty has provided information to and answered questions from the AEDC workforce on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted operations and per-sonnel.

Heckman explained dur-ing the most recent broad-cast that, relying on a pro-jection model from the New Mexico-based Los Alamos National Lab, COVID-19 cases in Tennessee are fore-cast to peak between May 24 and June 8. Taking the later of these dates and assuming data from the Tennessee De-partment of Health and Air Force Headquarters show a downward trend in the num-ber of local cases over the following 14 days, the plan to return Arnold to full capacity could begin implementation on June 22.

“For plan initiation, the environment has to be right to signal that we can begin returning to normal opera-tions,” said Heckman, who has led the team responsible for developing the plan.

Geraghty said Gen. Ar-nold W. Bunch Jr, com-mander of Air Force Materiel

Command, was briefed on the AEDC return to full capacity plan on May 12. The multi-phased plan would be imple-mented over an eight-week period if conditions permit. The operations to be carried out and number of personnel permitted on base would in-crease with each phase.

Initiation of the plan would move Arnold out of the current Operationally Ur-gent posture and into the first of four phases. During this phase, AEDC leadership will look to expand the missions being carried out during the current posture. Commons areas, such as Café 100, would likely remain closed.

The Operationally Urgent posture took effect at Arnold on April 6, just three days af-ter the first positive case of COVID-19 was reported on the base. During this pos-ture, some mission activi-ties are curtailed and access to the installation is limited to those employees required to complete critical test mis-sion and support functions. The posture also enhanced screening measures put in place at Arnold in March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While Geraghty said AEDC leaders are still con-sidering the operations im-pacted by implementation of the second phase, he said this phase would be initiated if there is a downward trend in the number of local CO-VID-19 cases for 14 days af-ter the implementation of the first phase.

The third and fourth phases are tied to the Health Protection Condition, or HP-CON, at Arnold. According to the Department of Defense, installation commanders re-view and update HPCONs based on risk levels within a local community in coopera-tion with local, state or host nation guidance. Military leaders and public health per-

sonnel use HPCONs to guide actions taken in response to a health threat.

There are five HPCON levels: Normal, Alpha, Bra-vo, Charlie and Delta. At HPCON Normal, there is no community transmission of a health threat. The HPCON level increases as transmis-sion of the threat increases, with HPCON Delta denot-ing widespread community transmission.

Arnold is currently at HP-CON Charlie, which indi-cates sustained community transmission.

“So when we get to a point where the virus allows us to go to HPCON Bravo, that’s when we go to Phase Three and, if we get to a point where the virus allows us to operate in HPCON Alpha, that’s when we go to Phase Four,” Geraghty said.

Heckman said the plan is continuing to evolve.

“What I want everybody to understand is the plan is flexible enough to allow us to change quickly because we are putting a lot of thought into, right now, what we’re going to do,” Heckman said.

The team also has a plan in the event there is a resur-gence of local COVID-19 cases. Should this occur, Ar-nold could, depending on the severity of the resurgence, shift back to a prior phase or even all the way back to the Operationally Urgent pos-ture.

“Arnold is a sprawling complex with a number of GSUs (geographically sepa-rated units),” Heckman said. “There is no plan that says all of the GSUs will be in the same phase. They will be in the phase that is appropriate for the environment that they are in. When we get the in-dication that there is regres-sion, if we get that, we will, depending on the severity of that resurgence, determine where we bounce back to.

It could be all the way back to Phase Zero. There could be a time and a place where AEDC goes back to pre-Phase One but some places like NFAC (the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex at Moffett Field in Mountain View, California) and McKinley (the McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida) are at Phase Three.”

According to Heckman, supervisors at Arnold are responsible for determining which phase individual mem-bers of Team AEDC are to be brought back to Arnold.

“I would encourage you to have a conversation with your supervisor and ask them, ‘Hey, what phase do I fit into?’” Heckman said. “If they can’t answer that, I would encourage you to ask them to go find out.”

Geraghty said a 14-day downward trend in the num-ber of COVID-19 cases has not yet been experienced in the five counties near Arnold being analyzed for purposes of the plan initiation.

“There was a moment where it started to look like it was going to turn down, but it had a significant bump up again, so this disease is still growing in the area when you look at the 14-day rolling av-erage of new cases,” Geragh-ty said. “The Air Force Head-quarters is helping us look at that data, both at a county level and the state level, as well.”

If the proposed target date of June 22 holds and the return to full capacity plan is initiated, risk mitiga-tion measures put in place for personnel residing in or planning to visit counties la-beled as “hotspots,” which are counties with at least 100 cases, must continue to be followed.

“The hotspot mitigation that we have in place is still the same hotspot mitiga-

tion plan that we’ll have in place,” Geraghty said. “What we expect to see, though, as counties start to have a down-ward trend in cases as people recover and fewer people are getting sick while more people recover, we expect to see these hotspots shrink and remove themselves from this list. We’re not reducing our vigilance against the threat. We’re keeping up with the changes. We’re removing recovered cases from the case count. At some point, I do hope to see the hotspots start to diminish, shrink and remove themselves from the list.”

If there is no downward trend in cases after June 8, Arnold will maintain its cur-rent posture and risk miti-gation efforts will continue to comply with Geraghty’s three priorities, which he has reiterated in each of his virtual town halls. These pri-orities are to safeguard the health of the workforce, ex-ecute the mission to the best of our ability, and to take care of each other.

“The reason we do that is because we love the people who work for Arnold Engi-neering Development Com-plex,” Geraghty said. “They also perform a vital national security service, so we really cannot put this workforce at unacceptable risk. There’s just too much riding on it for the long term. We need you healthy and we’re going to keep you healthy.

“We do pull elements of the workforce in to do those Operationally Urgent mis-sions. We have been doing so throughout this pandemic response, just very methodi-cally, very mindfully, with an excellent analysis of what risks we’re taking when we do so. If we have to do that for the foreseeable future, we will continue to do that. We’ll stick to these same three priorities.”

AEDC leaders detail return-to-full-capacity plan during virtual town hall

AEDC restructuring to provide clarity for future

By Ilka Cole96th Test Wing Public Affairs

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The 96th Medical Group teamed up with Eglin’s test community to find a way to health screen its employees quickly and safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 782nd Test Squadron’s seekers and sensors flight along with the Eglin Innovation Office filled a need with the Forward Looking Infrared system imager. It is a handheld infrared sensor that measures the surface tem-peratures of whatever is in its sights.

The measurements are used to identify if any 96th MDG per-sonnel have elevated tempera-tures. Anyone above the accept-able range, undergoes additional screening prior to entry. This not only protects the staff but the pa-tients and conserves valuable re-sources.

“The FLIR system helps us tremendously,” said Col. Mat-thew Hanson, 96th MDG com-mander. “We screen more than 1,000 healthcare quickly and ac-curately without causing them to aggregate in large groups. We appreciate the 782nd TS’s help in taking the fight to COVID-19.”

The FLIR can scan someone in approximately two seconds, whereas an oral temperature screening takes 30 seconds. This allows for rapid screening of 600 staff members every morning and 400 in the afternoons. The longest

wait during peak arrival time is three to five minutes, according to Capt. Nick Detrick, 96th MDG staff physical therapist.

The partnership began when 782nd TS testers began 3D print-ing respirator mask prototypes for evaluation by the 96th MDG bio-environmental engineering flight. Seeing the need and possible solution, the Innovation Office put the two units together. The prototypes are still under review and have not been approved for use yet.

Squadron personnel also be-gan printing visor frames and bands to reduce pressure on 96th Mission Support Group mask wearer’s ears. The initial print-ed bands went to 96th Security Forces Squadron defenders and 96th Logistics Readiness Squad-ron Airmen.

The 782nd TS, who normally supports IR testing for the HH-60W Jolly Green II, continuously prints the bands. It takes 10 days to print 2,000 bands. The 96th MDG requested 2,000 masks, filters and straps from the test unit… enough to keep the print-ers continuously busy for the foreseeable future.

“We are happy to be able to use our testing technology to directly help those in need dur-ing this crisis. It shows how in-novative thinking can find new and different ways to use exist-ing equipment for an immediate, important purpose,” said Russell Bauldree, 782nd TS seekers and sensors test flight chief.

Test equipment helps MedGroup with COVID-19 health screenings

An Airman displays a 3D-printed respirator mask at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The 782nd Test Squadron testers began 3D printing respirator mask prototypes for evalua-tion by the 96th Medical Group’s bioenvironmental engineering flight in March. (Cour-tesy photo)

design and then execute, with the help of sister orga-nizations on base.”

A significant effort managed by TSSI is the Service Life Extension Program, or SLEP, which is addressing critical infra-structure needs.

“AEDC is rich in his-tory and has been sup-porting DOD Test and Evaluation projects since the 1950s,” said Nathan Harrison, formerly the SLEP program manager for TSSI. “Due to AEDC’s aging infrastructure, there are many critical restora-tion and modernization needs. Addressing these needs is absolutely cru-cial for maintaining and further realizing U.S. air-power superiority. SLEP has played an integral role by ensuring AEDC assets can continue to provide test and evaluation capa-bilities that are second to none.”

An example of SLEP efforts at Arnold AFB is the replacement of nine exhauster motors with five exhauster motors in the A and B Plants which serve multiple test cells on base. Electrical and controls infrastructure was also replaced. The upgraded equipment will increase reliability and maintain-ability of the system.

Another effort com-pleted as part of the SLEP is a project that imple-mented an innovative method to repair leaking raw water pipes by lining the interior with a fiber-reinforced polymer. The repair was conducted to meet an urgent need, and its success is being evalu-ated to determine if this process will be viable across Arnold where ap-propriate. Implications are cost avoidance in the millions, plus potentially a tenfold reduction in schedule required to im-plement.

2nd Lt. Adam Doyle, a project manager with TSSI, oversaw the pipe restoration.

“As a project manager my role is to manage and integrate projects to en-

sure all cost, schedule and performance require-ments are delivered to en-hance AEDC test capabil-ities,” Doyle said. “Along with that, I believe a big portion of my job is de-livering the most efficient ways of solving AEDC’s critical needs that could be problematic for the ad-vancement of the National Defense Strategy.”

In addition to restor-ing and modernizing in-frastructure to maintain existing capabilities, TSSI pushes AEDC forward by constructing facilities to meet evermore demanding test needs, such as the hy-personic mission area.

“Open sources tell us that Russia and China have made significant advance-ments in hypersonic flight in recent years,” said Frank Wonder, Hypersonic Test and Evaluation Investment Program (HyTIP) manager for TSSI. “As a result, hun-dreds of millions of dollars are being invested, and much of that at AEDC, to advance our nation’s Hy-personic Test and Evalua-tion infrastructure.

“My role includes bringing our Capital Im-provements project man-agement tools and a solid foundation of Systems En-gineering principles to as-sist our Hypersonics Test Branch program managers as they lead these efforts.”

One of the HyTIP ef-forts is the Hypersonic Test Capability Improve-ment project, which will transform the former J-5 Large Rocket Motor Test Facility at Arnold AFB into a large-scale clean air variable Mach test facility with a longer runtime than any facility of its kind.

TSSI team members meet the unique projects in the state-of-the-art test facilities head-on.

“As a project manager I work every day to have my finger on the pulse of each project,” said Erin Landry, a proj-ect manager for TSSI. “This means that every day I’m thinking about what has happened his-torically, what is hap-pening presently and how to best position for the future.”

4 • May 18, 2020

CAPTIAL IMPROVEMENTS from page 1

The Capital Improvements Branch, or TSSI, is restoring the exhaust gas cooling system of the Aeropropulsion System Test Facility (ASTF), including forespray banks and exhaust cooler, seen here Feb. 14 at Arnold Air Force Base. This effort will enable testing of the next generation of turbine engines in ASTF. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jill Pickett)

Tyler McCamey, left, an AEDC program manager, observes a gauge on gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) for the Propulsion Wind Tunnel Facility, Feb. 14, at Arnold Air Force Base. The switchgear was upgraded to GIS as a Service Life Extension Program effort. Also pictured, Nathan Harrison, former Service Life Extension Program manager for the Capital Improvements Branch. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jill Pickett)

The von Kármán Gas Dynamics Facility drier regenerator, shown here Feb. 14, was restored and modernized as part of the Service Life Extension Pro-gram a few years ago, at Arnold Air Force Base. The effort improved the reli-ability and safety of the system. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jill Pickett)

By 52nd Medical Group Mental Health Clinic

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany –Stress and anxiety serve a pur-pose. These emotions are your body’s way of alerting you to a threat, calling you to action! Here’s the basics: wash your hands often and well, avoid touching your face, practice physical distancing, cough and sneeze into the inside of your elbow, and wear a protective facial covering when physical dis-tancing cannot be maintained. If you’re doing these things, there’s nothing else for you to do to pre-vent the spread. But what do you do when your stress and anxiety are no longer serving you and, instead, causing more problems? Here are 10 simple ways to keep calm and cope with COVID dur-ing this time of uncertainty:1. Stay informed the smart

way. Avoid falling into thetrap of mindlessly watching,reading, or listening to thenews or spending too muchtime on social media. Whileit is important to stay informedand follow official guidelines,constantly refreshing and read-ing the same information willonly lead to undue stress andworry. There has never beena time where information hasbeen as easily accessible as it istoday. With so much availableinformation it can be difficult tokeep calm and grounded. It iscritical to take breaks. There’sa link between news media ex-posure and pessimism as wellanxiety symptoms. Being con-stantly exposed to news canlead to an increase in irritabili-ty, restlessness, muscle tension,trouble sleeping, and simplyfeeling out of control. Maybeit is time to have a “self-in-tervention.” Actively look forbalanced information, considerthat while coronavirus is high-ly infectious, for most peopleCOVID-19 will only causemild illness. Many people thathave contracted the Corona Vi-rus have been discharged fromhospital with even more head-ed home soon. Look to trustedsources of information like theCDC, WHO, and 52D FW of-ficial information.

2. Focus on the things you cancontrol. Let’s face it: there areso many things outside of ourcontrol right now. While thisis scary for all of us, trying tocontrol more than is possible(externally through our actionsor internally through obses-sive thinking) will only leadto more stress/anxiety and agreater sense of helplessness.Work hard to focus on whatyou have direct control over-YOUR actions, thoughts, andfeelings. When you are wor-rying, ask yourself the question“Do I realistically have controlover this?” or “What elementsof this can I control?” Chal-lenging yourself in this waywill enable you to manage themultitude of difficult emotionsyou may feel in a much health-ier way. It will also result insaving yourself from expend-ing unnecessary emotional en-ergy so you can instead investit into the things most impor-tant to you. The best thing todo for yourself is investingtime in whatever helps youfeel grounded, strong and bet-ter able to handle challenges.Exercise. Eat well. Get theright amount of sleep. Medi-tate. Journal. Get outside. Seta schedule. Do more of whatmatters to you and helps yourecharge and resets your head-space.

3. Rally around one anoth-er. Coping with a crisis can of-ten result in an over-abundanceof self-focus, which can lead toincreased stress and isolation.Many people may be feelingsimilarly. Try some fun waysto keep connected remotely,start a push-up challenge withfriends, schedule workouts to-

gether via YouTube, and catch up with friends and family via video call. Help one another and ask others what they need. By focusing on serving others and investing in our commu-nity, we can get through this crisis together, as we have so many times before.

4. Create a new routine. There’sno denying it: no one likes tofeel out of control. Disruptedschedules, cancelled PCS’s/de-ployments/leave, and adheringto recommendations for physi-cal distancing can leave usfeeling powerless and helpless.Consider creating a new, struc-tured routine during this un-predictable time, whether tele-working, self-isolating, waitingto PCS, or becoming your chil-dren’s new teacher. This willresult in feeling more grounded and will improve self-esteemand confidence while decreas-ing anxiety.

5. Stay active and spend timeoutside. Don’t let the gym be-ing closed be the reason youdon’t continue your exerciseroutine. Exercise decreasesstress, anxiety, and depres-sion while improving sleep,self-esteem/self-confidence,and overall immune response- all crucial in getting throughthis crisis! Consider Googlingat-home workouts. Checkto see if your favorite fitnessclasses are being offered virtu-ally. Give a fitness app a test-run (no pun intended). Manyof them are offering 30-90 dayfree trials right now! On a sim-ilar note, we have been veryfortunate with the turn in theweather. As long as you aren’tquarantined, consider goingon a walk, run, hike, or bikeride. Play outside with yourchildren, bring back fun yardgames as a family, or just sitoutside to work or read a book.

6. Start a new project. Youknow the projects/tasks that just move from one to-do list to the next because there is never enough time in the day? Use this opportunity to finally tackle that item - build some-thing, clean out the garage, re-organize, write that travel blog, learn an instrument, try new recipes, start online school, re-work your resume.

7. Take inventory on your per-spective. In a global crisislike this, it is very easy for ourminds to run away from usand to jump right to the worst-case scenario. Challenge thesethoughts- remember that thisis only temporary. There willbe a time where we no longerare self-isolating or quaran-tined. We can choose to seekjoy in the midst of anxiety.Instead of focusing on cata-strophic outcomes and storiesof people tackling each otherin the toilet paper aisle, focuson communities serving oneanother and helping vulnerablepopulations stay safe. Seek tochoose joy.

8. Practice meditation or relax-ation techniques. Meditationor relaxation exercises allowus to ground ourselves in thepresent and have more controlover our bodies and minds bycontrolling something calledour sympathetic nervous sys-tem (AKA the “fight, flight,or freeze” response). Becom-ing an expert at relaxing yourbody takes practice and is notsomething you learn over-night- be patient with and kindto yourself! For instruction ona variety of these techniques,check out the following appson your App store: Headspace,Breathe2Relax, Virtual HopeBox, Mindfulness Coach, Tac-tical Breather, and Calm.

9. Protect your relationships. You will likely be spending alot of time with loved ones athome. Take time to remainconnected with those you donot see using your phone, tablet or computer. Get creative withthe activities you do together

virtually - exercise, chat, have dinner (you can even cook the same recipe together). Also re-member to give loved ones at home some space. Have spe-cific times built into the routine at home for alone time for ev-eryone who wants it. Also, re-member to ask what your loved ones need when they come to you for support. If they need to vent or discuss their wor-ries about COVID-19 and its aftermath, provide validation and support. Additionally, help them problem-solve or offer advice if they indicate that this is something they want.

10.Practice good sleep hy-giene. Sleep is the backbone

of our physical and mental health. Getting good quality sleep allows us to better man-age stress, combats anxiety and depression, and improves chronic pain. Regardless of your current schedule, keep your sleep schedule as consis-tent as possible. If you are able, work to protect your sleep by consistently going to bed and waking up at the same time. For more detailed sleep educa-tion and tips, consider using the CBT-I Coach app available on most devices for free.Living through the threat of

COVID-19 can be extremely chal-lenging. This pandemic is com-pletely outside the range of normal

everyday experiences. You may be overwhelmed by the constant, rapidly changing, and sometimes conflicting information provid-ed. It is vital during this time to take care of your physical and emotional health by applying these 10 tips. If you need additional help, be on the lookout for upcom-ing educational videos on the 52 MDG Facebook page where our mental health professionals will be teaching concrete skills to cope with COVID-19!

Sources: Centers for Disease Control (CDC), National Public Radio (NPR), The Gottman In-stitute, American Psychological Association (APA), World Health Organization (WHO)

May 18, 2020 • 5

By Bradley HicksAEDC Public Affairs

Editor’s note: The Team AEDC Frontlines series is a recurring feature that

puts the spotlight on some of the members of Team AEDC on the “frontlines” supporting our mission, people and families dur-ing the COVID-19 crisis.

The following are the first three from the series. Please visit www.arnold.af.mil regularly to see other Team AEDC mem-bers featured.

Team AEDC Frontlines

Rick Hoots is the Arnold Engineering Development Complex Operations Center Manager and is the AEDC Cri-sis Action Team Liaison.

Hoots, who arrived at Ar-nold Air Force Base more than 14 years ago, keeps the AEDC commander and the director of the CAT, which is currently focusing on addressing issues on base arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, ap-prised on the current situation and up to speed on all taskings.

Among his numerous re-sponsibilities, Hoots performs initial and subsequent situ-ational briefings as needed in concert with the Emergency Operations Center and CAT

directors, forms and trains the CAT Support Team and super-vises its operations, schedules and organizes briefers who will present information to the CAT, participates in the CAT’s review of appropriate scenario-driven checklists, prepares re-ports for review and releases them to higher headquarters and other appropriate agencies when approved, and manages the timely communication of information between the CAT and AEDC organizations in-cluding contractors and tenant units, as applicable.

“I feel that the CAT is an important entity when it comes to keeping the populace of the installation safe and well-in-

formed, as well as to complete the mission. I think that our current leadership understands that and is doing all they can to keep everyone safe and healthy and not going too far as to de-stroy the mission for the instal-lation. It’s good to be a part of a team that puts the rest of the Wing first and not just their own interest regardless of their status. Whether it is a test engi-neer, a division chief or a jani-tor, they are all an important piece of our mission, and that is regularly acknowledged by our leadership. It makes me proud to be a part of a team that con-ducts business in that manner.”

Rick, thank you for all you do for Team AEDC!

Mark Towry is a system engineer with the Arnold Engineering Development Complex Base Communica-tions and Information Tech-nology Services team at Ar-nold Air Force Base. In his role, Towry, who has been at Arnold for 22 years, moni-tors and configures the Ar-nold Storage Area Network and VMware Virtual Envi-ronment.

Towry is among the mem-bers of Team AEDC who

have continued to work on base throughout the Opera-tionally Urgent posture now in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. When this posture first took effect, much of Towry’s focus was on helping base teleworkers access Arnold’s servers and applications through the vir-tual private network, allow-ing them to perform work tasks remotely. As VPN ac-cess has improved, Towry has migrated back to his typ-

ical job duties. “My hour commute was

relaxing with practically no traffic, but I was reminded of the seriousness of the CO-VID-19 situation upon enter-ing the main gate. Lots can be done by teleworking, but sometimes you have to go in the computer room and push a button. Computers must stay online to give the end user access to data.”

Mark, thank you for all you do for Team AEDC!

(U.S. Air Force graphic)

(U.S. Air Force graphic)

Keep calm and cope with COVID

6 • May 18, 2020

Photos unavailable for the following award winners:

Capt. R. Kyle Tatum704th Test Group, Det. 1, Holloman AFBCompany Grade Officer of the Quarter

Master Sgt. Frank MancinoTest Support Division – Logistics, Arnold AFBSenior Non-Commissioned Offi-cer of the Quarter

Staff Sgt. Patrick Gibbs846th Test Squadron, Holloman AFBNon-Commissioned Officer of the Quarter

Daniel EppersonTest Operations Division, Arnold AFBCivilian of the Quarter Category I

Andrew DeWolf746th Test Squadron Holloman AFBCivilian of the Quarter Category II

David AndersonTest Operations Division, Arnold AFBCivilian of the Quarter Category III

Greg JonesAFTC/PZAFTC Civilian of the Quarter Category II

Exceptional Innovator Award: Flight Systems/Technology 16T COE Test Team, Arnold AFB

Technical Achievement Award: Flight Systems CTF QQL Test Team

AEDC quarterly award winners announced

Maj. Wesly AndersonTest Operations Division, Arnold AFB

Field Grade Officer of the Quarter

40 YEARSCharles Anderson, TOSJoe Dean, TOSRandy Nicholson, TMAS

35 YEARSAlan Hale, TOS

30 YEARSBruce Miller, AF

20 YEARSBrandi Harmon, TOSWayne Whittington, TOS

15 YEARSLawrence Christian, TOSNicholas Fredrick, TOSJames Hall, TOSGary Hammock, TMASDaryl VanCise, FSS

10 YEARSArmando Aguirre, AFDarrell Day, AFChristopher Fanning, AFRandy Goodwin, TOSGregory Halliburton, AFWilliam Harrigan, AF

Matthew Kwan, TOSCameron Liner, AFJohn Lominac Jr., AFRon Lutz, AFJoshua Osborne, AFFrederick Rone, AFDavid Young, AF

5 YEARSJeffrey Ashley, TOSStephen Bates, TOSBrian Brown, TMASJerry Bullock, TOSStanley Cheek, TOS

John England, TOSStephen Guimond, TMASBrandon Hobbs, TOSChadwick Lyons, TOSDenver McCann, TOSChristopher Shores, TOSJarrett Snyder, TOSJohn Winton, TOS

INBOUND MILITARYTech. Sgt. Jerickson Edra, AFStaff Sgt. Jodie Humphres, AF

Maj. Stephen Satava, AFMaster Sgt. Adam Whitehu-rst, AF

OUTBOUND MILITARY1st Lt. Ryan Boudreaux, AFMaj. Michael Davault, AFCapt. Chris Francis, AFCol. Keith Roessig, AF1st Lt. Jonathan Teer, AF

NEW HIRESChristopher Curnes, AFMelissa Douglas, AF

Arnold AFB Milestones

By Kevin L. RobinsonDeCA Public Affairs

FORT LEE, Va. – Hurricanes, tornadoes, cy-clones, typhoons and other storms often occur with little time to prepare for the devastating disruption of normalcy.

Service members and their families can plan for that disruption by using their commissary benefit to pur-chase emergency supplies, said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Tomeka N. O’Neal, the Defense Commissary Agency’s senior enlisted ad-visor to the DeCA director.

“When the storm comes and all of a sudden you have no electricity, or you can-not get to the grocery store, which may also be closed – what’s your plan?” O’Neal said. “Before a bad day gets even worse, think ahead and save money as you use your commissary to help prepare for that emergency event.”

During last year’s hur-ricane season, there were 18 named storms with six be-coming hurricanes and three classified as major hur-ricanes such as Hurricane Dorian that was classified as a Category 5. According to the NOAA, there were about 1,500 tornadoes in the United States last year, mak-ing 2019 one of the most active tornado seasons on record.

From April through Oct. 31, DeCA’s severe weather promotional package in-cludes discounts on the fol-lowing items: beef jerky and other assorted meat snacks, soup and chili mixes, canned goods, powdered milk, cere-als, batteries, airtight bags, weather-ready flashlights, tape (all-weather, heavy-duty shipping and duct), first aid kits, lighters, match-es, lanterns, candles, hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial wipes. Specific items may vary from store to store.

The North Atlantic hur-ricane season is June 1 to Nov. 30 and covers the North Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Tornado season

is April to July. Each year Colorado

State University presents its predictions for the hur-ricane season. The forecast for 2020 calls for 16 named storms, eight of which will be hurricanes, with four of the hurricanes potentially being category 3 or higher. Accuweather predicts 14 to 20 tropical storms, with the number of storms becom-ing hurricanes ranging from seven to 11.

The spring tornado fore-cast, according to ustorna-does.com, is calling for an above average season.

Whether it’s Mother Na-ture or a manmade crisis, emergency preparedness of-ficials encourage prior plan-ning with a disaster supply kit that includes the follow-ing items:

• Water – at least onegallon daily, per person(three-day supply forevacuation, two-weeksupply for home)

• Nonperishable foods– canned meats, fruits,vegetables, dried fruits,nuts, raisins, cereal,crackers, cookies, energy bars, granola, peanutbutter, and foods forinfants and the elderly(three-day supply forevacuation, two-weeksupply for home)

• Paper goods – writingpaper, paper plates,paper towels and toiletpaper

• Writing utensils – pens,pencils (manual pencilsharpeners), markers

• Cooking items – pots,pans, baking sheets,cooking utensils, charcoal, a grill and amanual can opener

• First-aid kit – includingbandages, medicines and prescription medications

• Cleaning materials –bleach, sanitizing spray,and hand and laundrysoap

• Toiletries – personalhygiene items and moistwipes

• Pet care items – food,water, muzzle, leash,carrier, medications,medical records, andidentification andimmunization tags

• Lighting accessories– flashlights, batteries,candles and matches

• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)

• Duct tape, scissors

• Multipurpose tool

• Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports,birth certificates andinsurance policies)

• Cell phone with chargers

• Family and emergency

contact information

• Extra cash

• Emergency blanket

• Maps of the area

• Blankets or sleepingbags“Throughout the year

we advise our customers to be ready for any emergen-cy, natural or manmade,” O’Neal said. “Even with the COVID-19 outbreak, we still want our customers to be prepared. However, re-gardless of the situation, we recommend that they calm-ly purchase what they need and avoid any panic buying to ensure products are avail-able for others in their com-munities.”

For more information about disaster prepared-ness, go to the DeCA web-site, https://commissaries.com/our-agency/disaster-

By AEDC Public Affairs

In response to the CO VID-19 pandemic, officials at Arnold Air Force Base have moved to cancel ac-tivities and close of-fices and facilities across the base. These temporary changes have been imposed to limit possible commu-nity trans mission of the virus.

Base personnel are asked to avoid non-mis sion essential mass gath erings, parties, speaking events and other functions at this time.

Announced clo-sures/ cancellations at this time include: • The Arnold AFB

Medi cal Aid Sta-tion. Those re-quiring immediate medical assistance are asked to visit their near est emer-gency room.

• The Arnold AFB Legal Office. The office will remain closed for an un-known duration forlegal assistance, taxappointments and gen eral customer service assistance.

• Financial Assis-tance

• Ascend Feder-al Credit Union branch on base

• Café 100 in the Admin istration and Engineer ing Build-ing

• Food trucks• Arnold AFB Fit-

ness Center• Fitness room on

the 4th floor of theA&E Build ing

• Arnold Lakeside Center

• Gossick LeadershipCenter

• Wingo Inn• Outdoor Recre-

ation, including Marina, Fam Camp, Dogwood Ridge and Crocket Cove

• Mulligan’s Grill restau rant

• The barbershop lo-cated in the A&E Building

• Recycling• All Arnold AFB

Servic es events and trips have beencanceled until fur-ther notice.

The Defense Com-missary Agency and Base Exchange at Arnold AFB remain open.

To gain access to the installation visi-tors, in cluding, Com-missary and Base Ex-change patrons, must first pass an enhanced screening process, which includes ques-tions related to expo-sure to coronavi rus, current health status and recent travel his-tory. More details can be found at https://www.arnold. af.mil/coronavirus. Pa trons must also wear face coverings while in ei-ther facility.

Arnold Golf Course reopened on a limited basis, effective May 1, for play Fridays through Sun days from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tee times are required. Masks are required in-side the clubhouse and six feet of distance must be maintained, Only one person per cart is allowed.

This list will be updat ed as additional announce ments are made.

Planning for bad weather Offices closed, activitiescanceled at Arnold AFB

due to coronavirus

(Courtesy graphic)

By Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs

W R I G H T - P A T -TERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – As states across the U.S. begin to slowly reopen their economies, Air Force Materiel Command lead-ers are similarly readying to return to full mission capacity following ma-jor disruptions caused by COVID-19.

The plan is for AFMC’s six centers and eight installations to re-constitute and begin to reopen installation ser-vices and to return many employees to their work-places over the next 60 to 120 days. Timing will be determined by center and installation commanders, informed by their public health teams, local condi-tions, governors’ execu-tive orders, and declining trends of new coronavi-rus infections.

Moreover AFMC, in consultation with su-pervisors and medical professionals, will bring back a number of work-ers with health conditions that placed them at higher risk who have remained at home on weather and safety leave, and whose mission cannot be ac-complished via telework.

“We’ve been careful-ly planning how we can best return the workforce to full capacity. The time is right to start this pro-cess,” said Gen. Arnold W. Bunch, Jr., AFMC Commander. “Our teamof uniformed and civil-ian Airmen has done anamazing job respondingcreatively to every chal-lenge this coronavirus has thrown at us.”

Bunch acknowledged the three air logistics centers are just one area where workers with spe-cial skills are needed at the job on depot pro-duction lines to support readiness by deliver-ing aircraft and systems back to warfighters. In the past several weeks, some at risk workers were briefly recalled to perform specific tasks, and then returned home again to weather and safety leave. The reduced available manning meant aircraft inductions for programmed depot main-tenance had to be slowed in some cases.

“While we can’t com-

pletely eliminate the risk until a vaccine for the virus is available, we’ve taken every precaution to return the workforce, minimize their risk of exposure and safely re-constitute,” Bunch said. “This isn’t like a flip of a switch. We’re going to slowly turn the dial up and bring teammates back, along with a num-ber of new guidelines to help keep them safe.”

Bunch said the plan is to return supervisors first, review the new protocols and, “invite them to help us close any gaps and seams we may not have thought through.”

Strict protective pro-tocols and new rules requiring conspicuous cleaning and sanitiza-tion, physical distancing and the wearing of face coverings will continue. Some depot workers will return to a different shift and have staggered breaks. Each employee will be responsible to perform daily personal health monitoring such as temperature checks.

Similar plans are be-ing finalized for phased implementation at each AFMC operating loca-tion.

“Return to full capac-ity doesn’t mean we will be at the 100 percent pre-COVID level,” Bunch

added. “Reducing the risk requires us to make accommodations, such as physical distancing and additional staggered shifts which prevent con-current work and may decrease our production efficiency.”

As public health emer-gencies were declared across the country, a sig-nificant portion of the AFMC’s 87,000 strong workforce was sent home. The command adapted to continue criti-cal research and devel-opment, acquisition, test, sustainment, logis-tics, and installation and mission support. Many employees were able to utilize telework and vir-tual tools to enable them to continue performing their mission, something AFMC strategic plan-ners said will continue.

“The reality is most of our team have con-tinued to work, just dif-ferently,” said Maj. Gen. Carl Schaefer, AFMC deputy commander, who Bunch charged with leading the command’s response to COVID-19.

“Telework has prov-en to be very successful. Without a doubt looking forward we will see a mix of telework continu-ing. However, telework simply isn’t an option for many in the AFMC

workforce, such as those working in depots, some in the supply chain enter-prise, doing research in the laboratory, testing, as well as those who must have access to classified materials and systems,” Schaefer said.

Installation com-manders are working through details on safely reopening base support activities such as Child Development Centers, initially at reduced ca-pacity. Childcare is an

important mission en-abler, necessitating ef-forts to help locate suit-able off-installation ar-rangements for Airmen and civilian employees with young families. The timing of facility openings ranging from dining facilities to fit-ness centers will vary by installation and local conditions.

Infectious disease and public health experts have cautioned pockets of resurgence are possi-

ble as states and commu-nities reopen. Installa-tion public health teams are postured to quickly react with contact trac-ing of any base workers who become ill with the virus.

“Flexibility will be key. Setbacks requiring us to adjust the plan are possible. I can assure you we are using every tool we have to lower the risk to our people and enable us to perform our mission,” Bunch said.

May 18, 2020 • 7

Arnold AFB Milestones

Air Force Materiel Command preparing for next phase of COVID-19 operations

Josh Campbell, 571st Commodities Maintenance Squadron director, demonstrates how his squadron has adapted missions to COVID-19 during a visit by Gen. Arnold W. Bunch Jr., Air Force Materiel Command commander May 8 at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. Air Force Materiel Command leaders are readying to return to full mission capacity following major disruptions caused by COVID-19. (U.S. Air Force photo by Rodney Speed)

8 • May 18, 2020