U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- A select number of Hunt Community Housing residents at the U.S. Air Force Academy are getting ready to cool off for the upcoming summer months.
Colonel Daniel Werner, 10th Air Base Wing vice commander, distributed the first of 15 air conditioning units to a local Airman and her family, May 19.
Quality of life improvement
“This is a tremendous improvement for quality of life for our Guardians, our Airmen and our Soldiers who live on the United States Air Force Academy installation,” said Werner. “This is a great step forward and I would like to thank all of our First Sergeants on base who helped identify some of the families, like the Matthew’s family, and several others who have these pressing needs for getting these in their homes.”
Senior Airman Alexis Matthews, Academy housing resident received the first air conditioning unit.
“We’ve been here almost seven years and the summers get really hot,” said Matthews. “I know it will make summers more enjoyable for my son. He plays a lot of sports so he’ll be able to cool down. This means a lot to me.”
Kristen Christy, 10th Air Base Wing Honorary Commander, with the assistance of the Air Force Sergeant’s Association’s local chapter liaised with the National Defense Industrial Association’s Rocky Mountain Chapter who donated $5,000 for the air conditioning units.
“Our community wanted to do something for the Academy,” said Christy. “We were able to get air conditioning units for Peterson and Fort Carson last year, but they didn’t need as many. We currently have 15, but I want to get donations for 185 additional units.”
Focus on resiliency
As a military spouse and a lifetime member of the Air Force Sergeants Association, Christy emphasized the importance of caring for service members.
“I know retention, recruiting and resilience are a big deal within the Department of the Air Force,” said Christy. “I’m not a military member but I consider this my Academy. So my goal in talking with the 10th Air Base Wing command staff is to get 200 air conditioning units donated.”
First sergeants surveyed their organizations and identified the Airmen, Guardians and Soldiers who they thought would most benefit from the donations.
According to the National Weather Service, the heat index reached 100 degree’s Fahrenheit in Colorado Springs, July 23, 2022.
“I just wanted to say thank you on behalf of my son and I,” said Matthews. “We really, really appreciate it. I work in the medical group so I always think about the hot summers and my son getting dehydrated. I know in his room, it’ll be a lot cooler for him and he’ll be able to enjoy the summer.”