Air Force officials meet to improve Enhanced Use Lease process Published July 31, 2007 By Capt Eric Badger 96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- In accordance with Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century initiatives, Air Force Real Property Agency and Eglin officials hosted a Lean event for the Enhanced Use Lease program here July 23-27. The goal of the event was to streamline the Enhanced Use Lease, or EUL, process to reduce excess processing time. The Secretary of the Air Force Department for Installations, Environment and Logistics has directed the use of EULs to leverage private sector dollars. Military installations are now enabled to enter into leases for land and facilities in exchange for cash or in-kind consideration equal to the fair market value of the asset. Taxpayers are the first beneficiaries of fair market value leases such as these since leasing these properties effectively converts underutilized Air Force assets into in-kind or cash payment the Air Force can use to fund its needs. Two of Eglin's most visible EUL processes currently under way are the Emerald Coast Technology and Research Campus and the Mid-Bay Bridge expansion easement. Currently, there are more than 160 out grants on Eglin, some of which have been in existence since the 1950s and are not based on fair-market value. The Air Force Real Property Agency, sponsor of the event, manages more than 10 million acres and, according to Kathryn Halvorson, agency director, "we are looking at the entire 10 million acres and how we can return value to the Air Force and the warfighter." Col. Dean Clemons, 96th Air Base Wing commander, said EULs are the key to unlocking the value of the base. "The effort this week identifies the potential to improve a process that Air Force-wide we will exercise more as we move into the future," Colonel Clemons said. "Eglin is being used as an EUL template that will be replicated to every other base. As we build a consistent, transparent and predictable process, all stakeholders will benefit from it." Ms. Halvorson said while there's funding available to initiate EUL, the structure hasn't been built as to how to manage the projects. That's why meeting here was so critical. "This will move the program forward by light years," Ms. Halvorson said. "We identified all the structure that can back up the EUL, what kind of training we need, what kind of resources and manpower are necessary--how to move this program ahead not just for Eglin but for the entire AF." And not just the federal taxpayers but local communities will benefit as well since this initiative frees the Air Force to use its assets in ways that benefit the communities. "Time will confirm this was a pivotal event in establishing a win-win success," said Bob Arnold, Mission Enhancement Committee chairman, "not only for the Air Force to lean its process internally but to help us accelerate our support to the community in implementing many of the various initiatives we have proposed." The Air Force's position has not been without controversy, however, and the Lean event was intended, in part, to address some of these concerns. Col. Dennis Yates, 96th Civil Engineer Group commander, said the Lean event increased the level of understanding and the fairness of policies that were implemented to allow for achieving the objectives of taking underutilized properties and squeeze value out of it to help meet the ever-increasing resource demands in an age of shrinking resources. Mr. Arnold said with Eglin being the largest installation in the AF, there are many unique challenges such as the environment, land control, range usage and community support. He said the EUL program is one whose time has really come. "By speeding up this process, we are helping the community and helping to shape Eglin for the future that will enhance the strategic value of Eglin to the nation," Mr. Arnold concluded.