News

Airmen keep base housing beautiful

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace
  • 436th AW Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Four Eagle Heights housing residences were highlighted as being some of the most attractive on Dover Air Force Base.

The residents devoted off-duty time to keep their base-housing communities beautiful and pleasant to live in.

"Who wouldn't want to live in a house that looks nice?" asked Master Sgt. Clark Urban.

Sergeant Urban, 436th Maintenance Squadron transient alert superintendent, spends an hour to two a day with upkeep of his yard and house. It is more or less a hobby, he said.

"The way people live is a reflection of who they are," said the sergeant. "I enjoy working in my yard. It keeps me busy and keeps my yard and the neighborhood looking nice. Keeping a community nice is an effort that should be shared by all neighbors involved."

For Sergeant Urban, yard care is a family event.

"My wife, Desiree, loves to get out and work in the yard also," he said. "My son, R.J., cuts the grass and helps me with daily chores too. There is nothing like working out in the yard with your son; it's irreplaceable family time. He's 16 years old now; we've got to spend that time together."

The responsibility of keeping the community beautiful has no boundaries or restrictions to rank. Every resident of Dover Air Force Base, housing and dormitory, share the duty.

The message of enlisted residents like Sergeant Urban, and those of Dover's top commanders are consistent.

Everyone is on board with keeping Team Dover clean, said Col. Eric Wydra, 436th Airlift Wing vice commander.

"We have the luxury of living in some of the newest and nicest base houses in the Air Force," he said. "It is up to each of us to ensure base housing displays the same professionalism that we all demonstrate in the work area."

The wing command chief agrees.

"I have been in the Air Force nearly 27 years and this is, without a doubt, the nicest family housing I have ever seen for a new Airman or an old Chief like myself," said Chief Master Sgt. Bruce Blodgett. "I truly appreciate the dedication and hard work of both Hunt and Pinnacle to make these houses more than brick and mortar - to make them homes our Air Force families can be proud to live in. I also want to thank all our families for taking time to keep these homes beautiful and making them the best, bar none, in the Air Force!"