Mission complete: Team Edwards' Airman' s Attic re-opens Published Nov. 23, 2011 By Meredith Mingledorff 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- After more than two years of work, members of the Edwards community came together to celebrate an improved Airman's Attic Nov. 22. Sporting brand new carpet and a cleaner more organized space, the attic re-opened its doors just in time for the holidays. The new carpet was a gift to Edwards Airmen provided by the Edwards AFB Civilian-Military Support Group. The private organization is a body of community partners whose purpose it is to establish a "friendly, benevolent association of civic leaders and military personnel at Edwards." Each year the group chooses and completes a community service project at Edwards Air Force Base. Some of their previous projects include Flag Park across from Bldg. 1 and the Higher Grounds Internet Café in the dorms, where they contributed furniture, six computers, and two plasma screen TVs. What made the Airman's Attic project significant was the scale of the project. Raising more than $15,000 to replace the carpet, the Civ-Mil group decided to complete the work in two phases over two years instead of one. "This has been a culmination of a two-year project and we are proud to have been a part of this effort," said Mike Belzil, president of the Civ-Mil group. "Our 2010 project was Airman' s Attic Phase I for the first half of the project, and our 2011 project was Airman' s Attic Phase II for the remaining portion." The new facility, located in Bldg. 7211 next to the U.S. Post Office, occupies more than 8,000 square feet. "I've never seen an Airman's Attic this big," said Col. Amy Arwood, vice-commander, 95th Air Base Wing. Arwood and wing commander, Col. Gregory Schwab, were among several base leaders who came to the store to thank the community for their support. Also in attendance were chief master sergeants Bill Thomaston and Chris McCollor, command chiefs of the 95th Air Base Wing and 412th Test Wing, respectively. "We are truly grateful to be involved in Airmen giving back to Airmen," said Thomaston. "Team Edwards has a great relationship with our partners downtown and are lucky to have the backbone of this operation, the spouses of our enlisted members, who truly make this operation work." The attic is staffed entirely by volunteers and overseen by the Edwards Top 3. The current two lead volunteers, Kristen Minor and Jennifer Ireland talked about how far the space had come in the last phase and excitedly spoke about the work they'd seen. "These guys were tearing up carpet and throwing out trash. It was a mess in here," said Ireland. The last week of the effort required the attic to shut its doors and relocate much of its merchandise. According to Ireland and other volunteers, the workforce came from across Team Edwards. "We really came from all over," said Staff Sgt. Robert Hardesty, 412th Maintenance Group. "We had as many as 21 volunteers on one of the days and it took about 40 all together. There were test wing, air base wing, associate units, everybody chipped in. It was totally a team effort." Team is central to what the attic stands for according to Master Sgt. Randall George, Airman' s Attic Committee Chairman for the Edwards Top 3. "It says 'Airman's Attic' up there," George said, pointing to the sign above the counter. "But what's important to remember is the 'Team Edwards' part. It took the whole community pulling together to make this what it is today and in the military we are family. We have to look out for one another. This facility is open to all branches of the service and that's important." The attic provides household and personal items free-of-charge to active duty military members rank E-6 and below. The service is intended to provide a helping hand to members as they set up new households or start new families, a service that can make a difference in financial security for some of the newest military members. Senior Airman Robert Sotler, Information Protection Officer, 95th Communications Squadron, was one of the volunteers who helped complete the final transformation for the attic. He said his appreciation was what prompted the work. "I wanted to give back," said Sotler. He and his wife, Meg, are parents to a one-year old baby girl and have used the Airman' s Attic as a resource for their household needs. According to the Airman, clothes, toys, a baby walker, and a table have all helped the family stay on-track financially. "I bring home the only source of income," he said. "This [the Airman's Attic] has helped us out tremendously and I wanted to do something in return for what they've given me and my family." Volunteers are always welcome according to Airman's Attic staff. Those interested in community service can stop by the store during its regular hours or call 661-277-2246 for more information. "Most of our Civ-Mil members are prior service or from military families," added Belzil. "We enjoy keeping that connection and get our motivation from coming out here and visiting with the men and women who make our military great." The Civ-Mil group is in the process for choosing a project for 2012. The Airman' s Attic is open: Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The first Saturday of every month, the attic opens its doors and offers its wares to all uniformed service members of any pay grade or rank from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.