BASE LODGING EARNS HIGH MARKS DURING INSPECTION

The 4th Force Support Squadron's Southern Pines Inn provides quality lodging facilities and service to authorized personnel to maintain mission readiness and quality of life, while keeping official travel costs to minimum at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., April 14, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Whitney S. Lambert)

BASE LODGING EARNS HIGH MARKS DURING INSPECTION

Staff Sgt. Benjamin Robarge, 4th Force Support Squadron, thanks Irene Nash for staying at the Southern Pines Inn at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., April 14, 2009. As a customer service representative Sergeant Robarge strives to leave a good impression of the base to his customers through courtesy and providing helpful information. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Whitney S. Lambert)

BASE LODGING EARNS HIGH MARKS DURING INSPECTION

Maggie Smith, 4th Force Support Squadron housekeeper, dusts to ensure cleanliness at the Southern Pines Inn at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., April 14, 2009. Housekeepers clean the rooms, common areas and hallways, and change linen and trash daily to uphold standards by services agencies. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Whitney S. Lambert)

Base lodging earns high marks during inspection

Published May 5, 2009
By 2nd Lt. Matthew D. Schroff
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, NC -- The Southern Pines Inn received top marks after an extensive inspection here April 10. Evaluator Steve Ellison, of the Air Force Services Agency, executed a checklist of more than 400 items ranging from guest contact, room cleanliness, maintenance, supply availability and quality assurance.

"It's all about the customer," he said.

Mr. Ellison performs around 25 of these "white glove" inspections a year. A certified hospitality administrator, Mr. Ellison is no stranger to the lodging business and has a reputation for being a thorough, but fair evaluator.

Ten percent of the Southern Pines' 181 rooms were spot inspected to include standard rooms, temporary living facilities and distinguished visitor's quarters. Checklist items are assigned a point value and totaled to produce an overall score.

Seymour Johnson AFB lodging scored an impressive 93.6 percent overall score, which placed it in the upper echelon of Air Force lodging according to Mr. Ellison. Recent directives have transitioned Air Force lodging into a more industry-based standardization program, ensuring facilities across the Air Force look more alike, akin to commercial lodging. Decorative aspects such as carpet and furniture will be comparable service-wide, and buying in bulk also helps the fiscal budget.

"Lodging is 100 percent a business," Mr. Ellison said. "Yes, our goal is to turn a profit, but not in the traditional sense of the word as it doesn't go into our pocket."

Instead, AF lodging monitors and redistributes the profit back to the facilities in the form of capital reinvestments for room renovations, vehicle replacements or other improvements.

Previously the accreditation score dictated when the next evaluation would be held, but starting in FY2010 each lodging property will be evaluated annually.