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To Do list Before coming to Eglin AFB - 08/18/2007

Eglin Air Force Base Homes and Real Estate with Brandon Jordan, your Eglin Air Force Base and Duke Field Realtor serving Okaloosa, Walton, and Santa Rosa Counties, and ActiveRain featured Realtor for Okaloosa County since 2007. We provide this information and much more on our site for you at no charge, so please remember us when you're looking to buy or sell real estate.

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WI-FI spots around Eglin AFB - 08/18/2007

Eglin Air Force Base Homes and Real Estate with Brandon Jordan, your Eglin Air Force Base and Duke Field Realtor serving Okaloosa, Walton, and Santa Rosa Counties, and ActiveRain featured Realtor for Okaloosa County since 2007. We provide this information and much more on our site for you at no charge, so please remember us when you're looking to buy or sell real estate.

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Schools around Eglin AFB - 08/18/2007

Eglin Air Force Base Homes and Real Estate with Brandon Jordan, your Eglin Air Force Base and Duke Field Realtor serving Okaloosa, Walton, and Santa Rosa Counties, and ActiveRain featured Realtor for Okaloosa County since 2007. We provide this information and much more on our site for you at no charge, so please remember us when you're looking to buy or sell real estate.

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Parks around Eglin AFB - 08/18/2007

Eglin Air Force Base Homes and Real Estate with Brandon Jordan, your Eglin Air Force Base and Duke Field Realtor serving Okaloosa, Walton, and Santa Rosa Counties, and ActiveRain featured Realtor for Okaloosa County since 2007. We provide this information and much more on our site for you at no charge, so please remember us when you're looking to buy or sell real estate.

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Church around Eglin AFB area - 08/18/2007

Almerant Church
Laurel Hill

Antioch Church
Crestview South

Beaver Creek Church
Munson

Bethel Church
Crestview North

Bethel Church
Laurel Hill

Bullard Church
Hurricane Lake

Campton Church
Oak Grove

Canaan Church
Crestview South

Clear Springs Church
Oak Grove

Ebenezer Church
Oak Grove

Friendship Church
Crestview South

Golan Church
Baker

Good Hope Church
Munson

Hester Church
Baker

Holy Trinity Church
Mary Esther

Light House Church
Baker

Lighthouse Church
Baker

Live Oak Church
Crestview South

Magnolia Church
Oak Grove

Mount Zion Church
Laurel Hill

New Bethany Church
Munson

New Bethel Church
Crestview North

Oakland Church
Mary Esther

Old Ebenezer Church
Oak Grove

Olive Branch Church
Blackman

Parkway Church

Eglin Air Force Base Homes and Real Estate with Brandon Jordan, your Eglin Air Force Base and Duke Field Realtor serving Okaloosa, Walton, and Santa Rosa Counties, and ActiveRain featured Realtor for Okaloosa County since 2007. We provide this information and much more on our site for you at no charge, so please remember us when you're looking to buy or sell real estate.

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Hospitals around Eglin AFB area - 08/18/2007

Crestview Community Hospital
Crestview North

Fort Walton Beach Hospital Extended Care
Fort Walton Beach

HSA Gulf Coast Hospital
Fort Walton Beach

Humana Hospital Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Beach

Twin Cities Hospital
Niceville

Eglin Air Force Base Homes and Real Estate with Brandon Jordan, your Eglin Air Force Base and Duke Field Realtor serving Okaloosa, Walton, and Santa Rosa Counties, and ActiveRain featured Realtor for Okaloosa County since 2007. We provide this information and much more on our site for you at no charge, so please remember us when you're looking to buy or sell real estate.

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Airports in Okaloosa County - 08/18/2007

Bob Sikes Airport
Crestview North


Lat
Long
Elev.(ft.)



30.78
-86.52
214

Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport
Destin




Lat
Long
Elev.(ft.)


30.40
-86.47
22

Dotson Airport
Baker


Lat
Long
Elev.(ft.)


30.82
-86.69
251

Fort Walton Beach Medical Center Heliport
Mary Esther


Lat
Long
Elev.(ft.)


30.45
-86.63
47

Hurlburt Field
Mary Esther


Lat
Long
Elev.(ft.)


30.43
-86.69
38

Lonesome Pines Airport
Baker




Lat
Long
Elev.(ft.)


30.80
-86.68
244

North Okaloosa Medical Center Heliport
Crestview South




Lat
Long
Elev.(ft.)


30.74
-86.56
230



Ruckel Airport
Niceville




Lat
Long
Elev.(ft.)


30.52
-86.44
67

Sky Ranch
Baker


Lat
Long
Elev.(ft.)


30.85
-86.67
250

Swaney Airport
Dorcas


Lat
Long
Elev.(ft.)


30.78
-86.47
210

The Funny Farm Airport
Dorcas


Lat
Long
Elev.(ft.)


30.80
-86.44
200

Yellow River Airstrip
Holt




Lat
Long
Elev.(ft.)


30.69
-86.75
150

Eglin Air Force Base Homes and Real Estate with Brandon Jordan, your Eglin Air Force Base and Duke Field Realtor serving Okaloosa, Walton, and Santa Rosa Counties, and ActiveRain featured Realtor for Okaloosa County since 2007. We provide this information and much more on our site for you at no charge, so please remember us when you're looking to buy or sell real estate.

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Near-by Hotels to Eglin AFB - 08/18/2007

Fairfield Inn & Suites Fort Walton Beach-Eglin AFB

1280 Eglin Parkway North
Shalimar, FL 32579
Nightly Rates: ( 139.00 - 139.00 )
2 StarMarriott's award winning economy hotel lodging chain features clean, convenient, quality accommodation and the peace of mind you get from Marriott consistency - all for a great value.

Eglin Air Force Base Homes and Real Estate with Brandon Jordan, your Eglin Air Force Base and Duke Field Realtor serving Okaloosa, Walton, and Santa Rosa Counties, and ActiveRain featured Realtor for Okaloosa County since 2007. We provide this information and much more on our site for you at no charge, so please remember us when you're looking to buy or sell real estate.

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by Lois Walsh - 08/18/2007

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Maintaining the infrastructure of an Air Force base that's nearly the size of the state of Rhode Island and the largest in the free world is a tough and challenging job, but it is one that the 96th Civil Engineer Group is fully focused on doing in the most innovative, resourceful and efficient ways possible.

From repairing roads to fighting forest fires, the group is one of the most diverse on base with everything from firefighters to archaeologists on staff to do the job. Similar to many units throughout the Department of Defense, though, the 96th CEG must find ways to overcome budget and personnel cuts to continue its contributions to the Global War on Terror.

"Funding has been lean and from the people standpoint, we're heavily supporting the Air Expeditionary Force mission requirements," Col. Dennis Yates, 96th CEG commander, said.

That doesn't discourage Colonel Yates and the 96th CEG at all. Instead, he says it keeps them focused and true to the group's vision of being innovative, resourceful and effective in all they do in light of these challenges.

The group is comprised of the 796th Civil Engineer Squadron, the 96 Civil Engineer Squadron and the Environmental Management, Resources and Family Housing Divisions.

Lt. Col. Dave Eaton, 796th Civil Engineer Squadron commander, heads a squadron of more than 600 military and civilians who are responsible for maintenance and repair of base property. They've got everything from pest management personnel to heating, ventilation and air conditioning specialists. He agrees that limited funding and ops tempo are some of the biggest challenges his squadron faces.

"The people are great and do great things for us, always stepping up to the plate to meet the challenges head on." he said. "They take limited funding and manpower and do their magic to produce a great product. For example, when one of our shop superintendents deployed last month, an airman quickly stepped into his shoes and has been leading the shop ever since. There is no doubt in my mind that we'll see more examples like this as the deployment wears on."

The Environmental Management Division is led by Mike Applegate. The division is responsible for ensuring the base is a good steward of the environment and manages the reservation for 19 federally listed threatened and endangered species, as well as maintaining the world's largest longleaf pine forest.

Beyond the natural resources, Environmental Management is also responsible for ensuring the base stays compliant with the myriad of federal and state laws that regulate the base's air emissions, water quality programs, restoration efforts and protection of cultural resources among other things.

"We're environmental managers, not environmentalists," Mr. Applegate said. "We manage the environment for the mission, and we don't let it manage us. Our job is to make sure the base is compliant with the law as we execute the mission."

The Family Housing Division, ran by Kathy Lawhon, provides program management for housing referral services and effective use of on-base housing, including the single unaccompanied Airmen's dormitories. They are also responsible for providing input to the housing budget and the accompanying furnishings management program.

Through privatization, the quality of military family housing for both Eglin and Hurlburt Field military families stands to improve substantially.

"Our military families will enjoy contemporary homes similar to those found in the local communities," Paul Ledford, housing office manager, said. "They will have homes that are better built and equipped to endure the intense heat associated with coastal living." The Air Force hopes to attract the right developer for the job when it releases its updated Request for Proposal in September.

The 96th Civil Engineer Squadron, known as the "first-response arm of CE," boasts the largest fire department in DOD and the largest explosive ordnance disposal in the Air Force.

"If you think first response across the base or the community, fire, police and medical, we are one leg of that Eglin triad," Maj. Don Treanor, 96th CES commander, said. The 96th CES also includes the Readiness Flight. Its mission includes conducting emergency management for peacetime emergencies and natural disasters on Eglin as well as providing chemical warfare defense training for all Eglin military personnel, Major Treanor said. They also have the Prime BEEF functions which prepares CE forces for their wartime responsibilities.

So while there may be less people and financial resources to do their job these days, Col. Yates believes that if the group stays true to its vision, they'll be fine.

"It's a great group of people with a lot of pride to do the job right under any circumstances," Colonel Yates said. "Our pride and ingenuity makes us a formidable weapon system."

Eglin Air Force Base Homes and Real Estate with Brandon Jordan, your Eglin Air Force Base and Duke Field Realtor serving Okaloosa, Walton, and Santa Rosa Counties, and ActiveRain featured Realtor for Okaloosa County since 2007. We provide this information and much more on our site for you at no charge, so please remember us when you're looking to buy or sell real estate.

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Eglin Airmen train Iraqis on fuel delivery - 08/18/2007

by Tech Sgt. Russell Wicke 447th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs 6/20/2007
- SATHER AIR BASE, BAGHDAD, IRAQ

-- Airmen from the 447th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Fuels Flight are training Iraqis here to fuel up their own C-130s without dependence on the U.S. Air Force.

Heading up the training is Master Sgt. Scott Addington, 447th ELRS Petroleum, Oils and Lubricant fuels manager, who said the plan is broken own into a "crawl, walk, run" process.

The first day of training was June 17 and involved familiarization with one of the Iraqis two fuel trucks.

"These guys are in the infancy stage of fueling," said Sergeant Addington. "We developed a six-phase process designed to ease them into this work.

" The entire Iraqi fuels shop here, consisting of three people, is now learning the fundamentals in Phase One: moving fuel. Sergeant Addington said advanced training will involve tracking and recording fuel, and eventually performing lab work.

The Iraqi airmen at New Al-Muthana will be responsible for refueling their three C-130s, their helicopters and their aerospace ground equipment, according to Tech. Sgt. Chad Wilkey, 447th ELRS fuels operations supervisor. At present, all of these are being fueled by U.S. Airmen working for Sergeant Addington.

In addition to the Iraqis' aircraft and equipment, the 13 Airmen of 447th ELRS Fuels shop have their hands full with other commitments. Approximately 300 transit aircraft funnel through Sather every week - all requiring fuel. Furthermore, the Army's 3rd Infantry Division Combat Aviation Brigade has approximately 115 helicopters which fly daily missions from Baghdad International Airport. They all depend on fuel from the 447th ELRS. And just to add the icing, Sather also maintains multiple generators which supply electricity to the base; they all depending on POL for clean, dry fuel.

"We provide the life-blood of the American war fighter," said Sergeant Wilkey. "Nobody goes anywhere without gas." And Sather's access to gas all passes through the conduit of these 13 Airmen. But Sergeant Wilkey was quick to point out his team does a lot more than deliver fuel.

This is where Tech. Sgt. Terrance Ladd, 447th ELRS fuels lab technician comes in. Sergeant Ladd runs the fuels lab here. It's his job to ensure the fuel is of high quality. He said he spends his days sampling fuel from their fuel trucks and the 50,000-gallon fuel bladders, and testing them for a number of contaminants.

"I test the fuel for solids, (like dirt) and trace amounts of water," said Sergeant Ladd. "If my tests indicate the fuel is too dirty, or has too much water, we have to take action to correct the problem."

Sergeant Ladd also said the JP-8 fuel he works with requires several additives to enhance engine performance. He runs lab work on the JP-8 to ensure it has the right amount of icing inhibitor and static dissipater. Without these additives, the fuel may develop crystallized ice, or build up static electricity. Sergeant Ladd also tests the fuel for proper flash point.

In addition to lab testing come the rigors of inventory and paperwork. According to Sergeant Addington, all fuel has to be received by convoy, tracked and recorded. When people depend on a product that comes by convoy in Baghdad, Iraq, problems surface fast. Baghdad features a characteristic that makes fuel supply very unpredictable: hostility.

"We have a small surplus of fuel because re-supply trucks are unpredictable," said Sergeant Wilkey. "For this reason, we limit all aircraft to 40,000 pounds of fuel, unless they arrange for more in advance."

Sergeant Addington agreed that his crew of 13 stands up under a heavy yoke: providing clean, dry fuel to the entire base and the coalition in addition to the training of Iraqis - all in a hostile environment. But he said it would take more than this and the occasional rocket attack to break the resolve of the Airmen in POL.

"We like the term 'resilient' defined by Webster's as, 'tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change,'" wrote Sergeant Addington in an e-mail responding to a concerned peer after a rocket attack in their area. "What doesn't kill you will only make you stronger."

Eglin Air Force Base Homes and Real Estate with Brandon Jordan, your Eglin Air Force Base and Duke Field Realtor serving Okaloosa, Walton, and Santa Rosa Counties, and ActiveRain featured Realtor for Okaloosa County since 2007. We provide this information and much more on our site for you at no charge, so please remember us when you're looking to buy or sell real estate.

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