Straight Talk: Installation support services

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – In this week’s Straight Talk, I will answer more questions and comments from members of the community on topics important to you.

Q. Fitness Center: Is it possible to not charge for fitness classes at the base gym?
A. Group fitness classes offered are contracted and require paid instructors, thus fees to pay instructors are charged to offset this cost. Fitness center employees offer free classes. Please check the front desk on these offerings or visit www.HanscomFSS.com/fitness-sports-center.

Q. Fitness Center: Can the Fitness Center allow locker rentals and maintain a wait list if there is not enough space?
A. The daily use of lockers is Air For Instruction-directed. The only reserved lockers available are to those who bike to work, thus reducing cars on the road. This is a new initiative offered by the fitness center.

Q. Fitness Center: The new weight equipment does not provide complete workouts, and the old machines are not useable by people with smaller builds, and some are broken.
A. The fitness center equipment meets all the workout industry standards. All new sourced equipment is from the fitness experts at Headquarters Air Force Services Agency. The five older pieces upstairs will be replaced once, and a request for funds has been submitted to replace all resistance equipment downstairs. As items break, the fitness center does process requests for funds to replace broken equipment.

Q. Traffic: Can the Marrett Gate be open during the morning commute from 5:30 to 9 a.m. for inbound traffic only?
A. The Marrett Gate is for exception only in accordance with a binding agreement with the National Park Service.

Q. Traffic: Is it possible to install a traffic light or have traffic police placed at section of Route 2A and Hanscom Drive between the hours of 3 to 6 p.m. for exiting personnel?
A. Hanscom Air Force Base discussed this with the National Park Service and Town of Lincoln in 2018. We will reengage with the National Park Service and Town of Lincoln about this topic.

Q. Traffic: Consider alternate solution for jersey barriers blocking entrance to building 1630 parking lot by Ruiz Gate. I have witnessed several handicapped (blind) people being dropped off/picked up at gate who are struggling to navigate the barriers.
A. The barriers have been placed in accordance with the Air Force Chief of the Staff direction and for now it provide us an immediate solution. We are developing a long-term solution.

Q. The Minuteman Commons: Is it possible to stop limiting the hours of the Club on base? Create more opportunities for Airmen to have a place on base where they can participate in festivities without having to worry about driving home. Make it fun and make first Friday great again, have a disc jockey, offer karaoke and a dance night.
A. The Tavern was remodeled in September 2018 and has offered darts and corn hole leagues, karaoke, band nights, Oktoberfest and First Fridays in the past year. Additionally, the Tavern has given away $6,000 in free prizes in the past six months. The Tavern offers robust programming and is open to customer suggestions. Visit the Tavern’s website at www.HanscomFSS.com/tavern.

Q. Fitness: Is it possible to install signage for running routes around base that includes mile markers?
A. The Fitness and Sports Center and Hanscom Inn front desk provide a running route map that includes mileage markers.

Again, thank you for sharing your questions. I encourage you to funnel comments through your chain of command or send to my team directly at hanscom.straighttalk@us.af.mil.

Stay tuned as we will continue sharing answers to your questions. I am committed to making Hanscom the benchmark for the Air Force to work and live.