Budget cuts take toll on military family housing on Okinawa

by Airman 1st Class Maeson L. Elleman
18th Wing Public Affairs

12/27/2011 - KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- The 718th Civil Engineer Squadron, which is the head for all military housing on Okinawa, has suspended the use of unessential services at all Eagle Hardware self-help stores on the island, including Kadena Air Base and Camps Kinser, Foster and Courtney, as well as non-emergent work orders in base housing.

The suspension, due to a substantial cut in the island-wide Department of Defense housing budget, allows the self-help stores to give individuals living in base housing only air conditioner air filters and light bulbs not readily available on the local economy.

"All of this is because of the budgetary cuts," said Lt. Col. Ann Birchard, 718th CES commander. "We took a $5 million cut this year."

The effects to other U.S. military installations on the island are because the 18th Wing is the executive agent to all housing on Okinawa, giving it one of the largest budgets in the DoD.

"It's across the Air Force, across DoD, all of us took cuts, and this was one of the areas," said Birchard. "Since we're the largest in DoD, we have the largest budget, so of course we'll take the largest cut."

Despite the cuts, however, Birchard said not all services at the stores will be halted.
"We're still offering services such as the power washers, carpet cleaners and any tools like gardening tools, hammers or drills," said Birchard.

Emergent care for base housing residents is described as a threat to "life, health or safety," which includes air conditioning, power or water outages, or if an appliance, such as a refrigerator, fails.

Birchard said it's still undetermined whether the budget cut will be permanent or not, but other options are being pursued to save money so the suspension can be lifted.

"We understand it's an inconvenience," said Birchard. "However, with the constrained fiscal environment, we're doing the best that we can."

Birchard said on-base residents can call 315-634-HOME for essential repairs.