SNCOs, NCOs conduct surprise inspection of dorms

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Shane Dunaway
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  It's March 1, 3 a.m. on a cold Saturday morning. Dorm residents are tucked away in their rooms. All of a sudden, a sharp noise pierces the early morning air. The Airmen open their doors and are met by a noncommissioned officer directing them to a day room. The Airmen look puzzled, but it is clear that this is no ordinary fire drill.

With the help of the 4th Security Forces Squadron, teams of senior NCOs and NCOs conducted a surprise inspection of two dormitories, Buildings 3607 and 3605.

"The inspection is a measure for the commander to sample and evaluate discipline, morale, health and welfare of our Airmen," said Chief Master Sgt. Layton Clark, 4th Fighter Wing command chief. "This is not an inspection looking for anything. It's an inspection to observe. We use the same checklists and procedures to go through each room."

The teams were in place to make observations of unsanitary living conditions and contraband items such as weapons and drugs.

One thing we learned from this is that many of our Airmen are doing great, but we did identify a few who need a little help, Chief Clark said. There were flammables and weapons discovered and there were some rooms that were failing to meet the standards of hygiene and cleanliness.

However, it wasn't just an observation of how Airmen were living. It was also an inspection of where they were living.

There are things we noticed during the inspection that may be wrong with the facility that need attention, Chief Clark said. There were two lights on the end of the dorms that were completely out, so noting these problems helps our dorm management team address concerns.

The inspection took less than two hours to complete.

"The Airmen were very professional," Chief Clark said. "I think they understand we are concerned about them. We want to make sure we're doing the right things by them and they're doing the right things by their fellow Airmen."

Inspections like these are an example of senior leadership's emphasis on maintaining the safety and security of the 4th FW Airmen.

"I feel the inspections are necessary to remind us that we are in the military," said Senior Airman Timothy Bennett, a dorm resident and EAGLES treasurer. "It's great to see that senior leadership cares for our well-being and professional growth in the Air Force."