Eielson's newest housing opens for residents

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Janine Thibault
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Century Park North neighborhood opened April 9 allowing the first family to move into a new housing tract that is part of the largest American Recovery and Reconstruction Act in the Air Force.

Staff Sgt. Hugh Mulhern, from the 354th Logistics Readiness Squadron, along with his wife and four children including one on the way, were among the first families to move into the new housing.

"The move into the new house has come at a real good time," said Sergeant Mulhern. "The additional space in the house will allow our family to stay comfortable even after the baby is born in a couple months."

The new houses feature energy efficient walls, windows and doors, radiant heated floors, and two-car garages with drainage and storage areas. Additionally, they come with large capacity washers and dryers, a large second floor bonus room, ceiling fans in each bedroom, and kitchens with cultured solid surfaces and eat-in raised bar areas.

"At Eielson we really are remote," said Col. Karlton Johnson, the 354th Mission Support Group Commander. "At times when there are three hours of sunlight and 50 below it's important to ensure families, to include the military member, have a place where they can live and thrive despite the harsh arctic conditions. That's why we put so much time, effort and quality into the types of homes that, in this case, the junior enlisted members are getting."

Although junior enlisted members are moving into housing first, Airmen of all ranks will move in at later dates.

Approximately 16 units will be opened per month for the next 26 months. Currently there are 26 junior NCO units completed.

"The family is part of the equation for the military member to do their job," said Colonel Johnson. "If the family member is not taken care of, the kids do not have a nice place to play and live, or the spouse doesn't have what they need to keep the family going, then the military member's mindset will be taken off the job and will be more focused on the family and how they can make their family's life better. The end state is to provide them with the ability to focus solely on the job and know that their wingmen have their back."

Although the main focus on renovations is saving energy, some improvements are made to help occupants live a comfortable life.

The floor plan in the new homes uses the great room concept allowing the families within a given room to modularize their home so they can shape it and shift it to allow for the greatest amount of space possible.

"Our goal is to maximize the energy we use and reduce unnecessary bleed-off," said Colonel Johnson.

Making sure the families of servicemembers are well provided for is an important aspect of ensuring base-wide readiness. When the families are comfortable the Airmen are more prepared to focus on the task at hand.

"The message is, don't worry about that, we've got that for you. Do the mission and we'll take care of the rest," said Col. Johnson.