Straight Talk: New fitness class and parking lot safety

  • Published
  • By Col. Stacy L. Yike
  • 66th Air Base Group commander
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Most everyone starts their New Year's fitness resolution in January, but why not start yours now? Pledge to get yourself to the gym one more day a week during the holiday season or add ten extra sit ups to your routine. Do something to encourage yourself to maintain good fitness habits right now instead of letting yourself slide during the holidays. That way you will keep up the energy during the holiday season and start off the new year moving forward instead of catching up. Read on for information about new fitness programs coming soon.

Question: As a former Marine and current gym owner, I'm suggesting the Fitness Center start offering Cross Fit programs and classes. I inquired about paperwork to initiate the program in August and am waiting to hear the result. This will raise the level of fitness for military service men and women, as well as civilians. Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, has already implemented the program at their facilities. This is a great, high fat burning exercise alternative.

Response: You will be pleased to know we are just a few weeks away from a Cross Fit Kettle Bells class here at Hanscom. We're in the process of finalizing a contract. Unfortunately, this request has taken a little longer than usual because of end of the fiscal year workload and staffing shortages. We are in the final stages though, so it shouldn't be much longer.

The Fitness Center staff is excited about adding this new fitness program to its current list of programs and services. These services range from massage therapy, personal trainers, boxing and martial arts instructors to 18 weekly aerobic classes and a seven-sport league intramural program, just to name a few. Adding a Cross Fit Kettle Bell class to our current lineup will bring a new and exciting fitness opportunity to our base personnel. We look forward to your participation in the first class session. Watch the Hanscom Services website at hanscomservices.com/FitnessandSportsCenter.asp#FitClasses for an announcement of the start date.

Question: When people exit buildings 1128 and 1140 in the evening, they leave a lighted hallway only to be plunged into nearly pitch darkness. The closest functioning street lamp is on the far side of the Sensors oval. The others are dark. Our folks are forced to pick their way to their parked cars. This situation has persisted for weeks. My management at Air Force Research Laboratory has reported this situation several times, but there has been no meaningful response from the base. This constitutes an accident waiting to happen.

Response: Thank you for alerting us of this safety issue. Civil Engineering takes prompt action when notified of any issue. In this case, Civil Engineering received a work request from your facility manager on Nov. 22 and investigated immediately. The lights in the parking lot are on a timer, which was not set appropriately. This situation can occur after power outages or power surges that disrupt the timing sequence. The timer was reset on Nov. 29, resolving the issue. Whenever you see a facility problem, I suggest you work directly with your facility manager or call the CE hotline at 781-3773-3383 to ensure a prompt response. CE is here to help.