Action Line #90404–Air Conditioning in billeting

  • Published
  • By 39th Air Base Wing,
  • Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Complaint: 

I just have a few questions about billeting. Lately, it has been pretty hot outside during the days, especially for us on flight line. I am wondering why there is no air conditioning in the rooms. It gets hot and stuffy in there during the day, and when you sleep. I feel bad for the nightshift folks, who have to sleep in this sweltering heat. I know its not even near as hot as it will be, but it's still hot. When we pay 34.75/night/ person, we should have the capability to control the room temperature whenever we want. Then, when I ask the front desk about this, they say it has to be over 75 degrees for 5 consecutive days. Well I think we're going on 2 weeks. So, then I ask for fan for my room, like everyone else but they don't have anymore fans. We can only open our doors for so long before bugs start flying in. We pay money to live in this place, for no reason.

Response: 

Very timely question, but I am a bit disappointed in your last sentence...you could be living in a tent if that would be better.

First let me address your comment about individual room temperature control. The lodging facilities utilize double-pipe systems (systems that use the same pipe for either heating or cooling), as do most of our large facilities. The systems are either configured for cooling or heating, not both. In either configuration, occupants do have some control by adjusting the amount of cooling (or heating) supplied to the room.

Our 39th Civil Engineer Squadron, the organization responsible for the systems, reconfigures each facility from heating to cooling each spring. The timing depends on daily temperatures. Specifically, they look for an average temperature of 70 degrees over seven consecutive days. Once this occurs they begin the process of reconfiguring all buildings starting with high occupancy buildings like lodging. The process takes weeks to complete all facilities.

This year we met the criteria on 15 April. We reconfigured the systems and cooling was available in lodging on 23 April.

Regarding the availability of fans at lodging, 39th Force Support Squadron has ordered additional fans and they are expected to be delivered by 24 April. Lodging's goal is to have enough fans to provide one to each room, if requested.