Nellis dorm sets tone for new housing

Jace Radke

Friday, Aug. 13, 2004 | 9:11 a.m.

The highest ranking enlisted man in the Air Force said that airmen, soldiers, sailors and Marines are focused on the tasks they need to accomplish to win the war on terrorism.

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Gerald Murray, who was visiting Nellis Air Force base Thursday for the opening of a new dormitory that is the first of its kind in the military, said enlisted military are serving in challenging times with deployments, long hours and a high operations tempo.

"This is not a fun-loving, love-life time," Murray said. "It's a stressful time for our military forces. What I see is a morale that focuses on commitment, and that is what's required today.

"All you have to do is look at the reports coming from overseas where we have people who know they are in harm's way and that there is the possibility of being wounded or killed, yet they continue to drive forward."

Murray took some time out of his schedule to visit with enlisted airmen at Nellis and speak at the opening of the base's new "quad-style" dormitory.

The $10 million dormitory can house up to 144 airmen and is the prototype for future military housing. Each unit in the three-story building features four individual bedrooms and bathrooms and a combined kitchen and dining area, said Gen. Greg Ihde, commander of Nellis' 57th Wing.

"This new building is a visible symbol of the commitment we have to our young airmen," Ihde said. "What a wonderful home to come back to for the thousands of airmen, soldiers, sailors and Marines deployed all over the world in the war on terror."

The dormitory is broken up into four-bedroom apartments, with a shared kitchen and dining room in each. Each of the apartments has its own refrigerator, microwave, stove, washer and dryer, and each bedroom has its own bathroom.

The older dorms had no kitchens, one bathroom for every two airmen and a laundry room that was shared by dozens of airmen.

"The new dorms provide private space for the airmen, but at the same time there is space where they can come together and get to know each other during their first years in the military," Murray said.

Murray said six more dorms based on the new building at Nellis are already set to be built at Air Force bases across the country.

Airman Chris Brors of Nellis' 57th Equipment Squadron is among the 120 airmen who have already moved into the new dorm.

"The major difference between this and the older dorms is the comaraderie because there is a common area where you can get to know a core group of roommates," Brors said. "It really helps me because I don't have a car, and if I need to go somewhere I can catch a ride with one of my roommates."

Newer housing options are a good way to show young airmen that they are important, but the major component to good morale is the support the military gets from the public, Murray said.

"I haven't seen this kind of support of the troops from the American public before," Murray said. "You can talk about all the other things, but you can't minimize how important it is to know the American people support you."