Command representatives presented the most current information on the upcoming implementation of Joint Basing, dominating the agenda at Fort Dix’s Town Hall meeting on May 14.

Joint Basing is scheduled to take effect in October. The process promises to transform Fort Dix, McGuire AFB and the Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst communities by shifting select installation support functions and personnel in an attempt to gain a higher degree of economy among local military reservations having disparate missions.

Understandably, base changes were the major topic of conversation as members of Team Dix gathered in Timmermann Center on Thursday afternoon.

Joined by various department heads who took turns reporting and answering questions from the audience, Fort Dix’s Commanding Officer, Col. Ronald Thaxton, faced lines of inquiry with a equanimity usually wielded only by old Soldiers. The colonel reminded his audience that Team Dix’s traditional regard for reason and civility was expected to weather the winds of change – no matter how shattering. Thaxton also expressed regret that Joint Base Commander, Col. Gina Grosso, who commands the 87th Air Base Wing at McGuire AFB, was bound by other commitments and could not attend. Fort Dix’s commander promised she would be at future meetings.

The day’s program began on a high note, with Tiffany Colby, customer service officer in the Plans, Analysis and Integration Office (PAIO), presenting Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE) recognition awards.

ICE awards focus on recognizing superior performance by individuals in customer service areas.

And Team Dix has plenty of worthy candidates.

Workers from the Directorate of Human Resources Military (DHRM) who labor in Forms and Publications/Records Management finished in third place, honorable mention, and include Saeed Goodman, Jim Wolfe, Jimmy Keyes and Henry Melon-Lopez, director of DHRM. Finishing second, honorable mention was the crew of the Directorate of Information Management Systems, Systems Support division, Information Technology Service Desk, whose "help desk" is graced by Mike Polk, Larry Drazdik, Ed Jackson, Yolando Acevedo, Reita Moran, Charlie Cox, Fred Taylor and Bruce Waite. Coming in first place, honorable mention, were stalwarts from the Directorate of Human Resources Military, Personnel Operations and Mobilization Services who work in the ID Card section. They are Geneva Sturdivant, Tiffany James and, once again, DHRM director, Henry Melon-Lopez.

The ICE winner for the 2nd quarter of Fiscal Year 09 is a member of the Directorate for Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS) headed up by Dennis Bush, none other the Training Support Center’s (TSC) Doug Satterfield and Bob Stodnick.

Satterfield has served as a Reserve Officer in the war zone for at least two tours during recent years. He was a distinguished former member of the 1079th Garrison Support Unit, Fort Dix’s mainstay do-it-all unit for about a decade.

After ICE award recipients basked in the limelight, Molly Libby from PAIO took over, giving a succinct review of what the upcoming Organizational Self Assessment (OSA) is designed to accomplish. Col. Thaxton called the OSA an important tool "showing us how to get better."

The purpose of OSA is to let Team Dix know what we are doing right as well as where we can improve. The survey is an Army tool that enhances communication and helps to establish organizational priorities.

Col. Thaxton then gave a Joint Basing update, calling upon Beverly Wozniak, director of the Civilian Personnel Advisory Center, to handle technical questions within the realm of her expertise. Several questions dealt with the chain of command, i.e., who had authority to order what and the colonel repeated that the date of the new order wasn’t until October and things would proceed as usual until then. The colonel thoroughly reviewed progress by different sections on Post in meeting change guidelines initiated by the Joint Partnership Council. The following changes were noteworthy:
* In the Chapel ministries, two Army civilian employees are slated to transfer to McGuire AFB. Changes for customers involve chapel tithes and offerings.
* Security Services did not resolve all "friction points" and transfer plan is in limbo. The 87th ABW commander decided to immediately stand up the Installation Security Council with reporting requirements to the JPC.
* Under Advisory Services, Drug Testing, Fort Dix will transfer funds, not positions. McGuire Drug Demand Reduction Program will assume responsibility for testing Fort Dix civilians and will assume oversight for Lakehurst military testing.
* The Army Inspector General (IG) will continue to work Army mission or personnel complaints and will transfer installation support complaints to the AF IG.
* Lodging will change its way of doing business by utilizing new software, initiating central reservations, and by having CC (Air Force Command) inspections which will occur annually. Changes for customers involve different rates (lower at Fort Dix, higher at Lakehurst) and the elimination of the continental breakfast at Fort Dix. Col. Thaxton said he couldn’t buck the other services on that one because Dix alone offered the breakfast.
* In Public Affairs, three Army positions will be transferred to McGuire on Oct. 1 and all inquiries related to installation-specific activities will be routed through 87th ABW/PA.
* Changes for customers using Custodial Services will involve different categories of service (prestige, administrative, industrial, medical, etc.) and future contracts will utilize new Air Force templates which comply with Joint Base Common Output Levels (COLS).
* Unaccompanied Personnel Housing (UPH) changes do not apply to personnel executing a Temporary Change of Station (TCS). Army Permanent Party UH members will be assigned from McGuire UH Office. A change for customers involves Army Permanent Party UH may be assigned rooms on McGuire pending space availability.
* Three Fort Dix civilian positions transfer to Joint Base in the Postal Services.

Col. Thaxton reiterated that it was important for civilian workers transferring to Air Force-controlled jobs to update their resumes as resumes retain high importance in the Air Force scheme of personnel affairs, relating to promotions or job opportunities. And Wozniak reviewed CPAC procedures which will be followed to review changes wrought by Joint Basing.

Dennis Bush then gave a very brief review of a training and mobilization update which bodes for a busy summer. He was followed by Staff Judge Advocate’s Cpt. Nicholas Mitchell’s briefing on living wills and related personnel forms, a vigorous preview of Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s list of summer events by Robert Vogt and still another question and answer session directed by Col. Thaxton at the end of the day’s business.

Leaving Timmermann, one was reminded of Robert F. Kennedy’s adage, "The future is not a gift; it is an achievement."

At Fort Dix, it also looks like hard work.

(Steve Snyder may be reached for comment at stephen.j.snyder@us.army.mil.)

Read the Post Online for May 22, 2009.