PT Policy
Q. What is the policy of wearing PT Gear once one has completed his or hers PT requirement. I have seen a trend of personnel going to the post office, BX, commissary, golf club house to check their mail, shopping or getting something to eating. I personally do not think that wearing of the PT Gear after one has completed the exercise program to go to any of the facilities mentioned above, not until one has cleaned up and wears the proper uniform when attending this facilities. What is the current policy on the wear of PT Gear locally?
A: Thanks for your comment and concern regarding the Aviano uniform wear policy. All members at Aviano are expected to present a professional military image at all times. According to AFI 36-2903, all individuals must keep their uniforms "neat, clean, pressed, buttoned, and properly maintained."
The 31st FW does not have a local policy specifically addressing the PT uniform wear specific to the situations you've described. Because the PT uniform is an official Air Force uniform, the standards that apply in AFI 36-2903 also apply to the PT uniform. It's expected that all supervisors and members identify and enforce the professional standards if they are in question or compromised. Rather than impose restrictions or specify limitations as to the locations where personnel can wear the PTU uniform, I challenge all Airman to enforce the AF standards each and every day to ensure the professional military image of each member is preserved. As we review and update our Community Standards, I will, however, take your thoughts into consideration.
Fitness Center weekend hours
Q: Why isn't the Falcon Fitness Center (Area 2) open on the weekends?
A: During the 2008 calendar year, the Falcon Fitness Center (Area 2 gym) was open Monday thru Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Due primarily to customer feedback, extremely low headcounts, and high operations/deployment tempo of 31st Force Support Squadron members, these hours were modified on Jan. 5, 2009. The new hours are Monday thru Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (closed on the weekends).
The primary driver for this decision was the utilization rate of the Falcon Fitness Center. During the aforementioned 12-month span, the Falcon Fitness Center averaged only four customers per hour, or an average of 16 total per day on Saturdays.
The new additional hours on the weekdays now allow customers enough time to comfortably workout, change, and go to work before 8 a.m. The overwhelming majority of reoccurring customers are Squadron's conducting PT sessions during the duty week, personnel from Area 1 & Area 2 and spouses who use the children's play area and participate in the Mom's & Tot's Aerobics class.
Dragon Fitness Center hours
Q: Why can't the Dragon Fitness Center be open 24 hours a day?
A: The Dragon Fitness Center is open 115 hours per week, which exceeds the Air Force Instruction 34-266 requirement of 112 hours per week. Currently, the main fitness center is open Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and weekends from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. There are also numerous mini-fitness centers approved for usage in Area F, as well as the Area 2 Falcon Fitness Center, which is open 66.5 hours per week, which exceeds the AFI 34-266 Satellite Fitness Center hours of operation requirement by more than double.
As far as the idea of having a 24-hour operation, unfortunately the attendance numbers just don't support it, nor do the current manning authorizations support extending the current hours of operation. I
Overcrowded Dragon Fitness Center locker rooms
Q: The women's locker room is extremely crowded during the peak hours of 6:30-8:30 a.m. Monday thru Friday. I have seen as many as eight women waiting their turn to use the shower. Given the high number of female enlisted, company grade officers, Department of Defense employees, civilian workers and dependents who use the gym at this time, the shower area is in desperate need of an expansion.
A: Base leadership is aware of this issue and the need for additional shower stalls in the Dragon Fitness Center's female locker room to meet the demand of its patrons. With that said, two additional shower stalls have been added (in September 2008), for a total of six stalls in all. This should help alleviate the problem and drastically reduce, if not eliminate, wait times.
Falcon Fitness Center expansion/hours
Q: Can the Falcon Fitness Center in Area 2 be expanded and hours of operation improved?
A: A fitness center expansion project is on the books waiting funding and is scheduled for Fiscal Year 2014. The 31st Fighter Wing recognizes the need for an expansion of this facility and the impact it has on the community fitness needs. The hours of operation currently are conducive with the foot traffic in that facility. The hours of operation for the Falcon Fitness Center are Monday thru Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Smoking in designated areas
Q: Can the base better ensure people are not smoking in no-smoking areas?
A: It is up to everyone on base to enforce the no-smoking areas rules by personally or asking commanders, senior NCOs and first sergeants to address the issue with the person smoking.