JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Do you ever stop to think about where your supplies and equipment come from? It’s magic, right? Negative! The dedicated folks of contracting and the Joint Base Operational Support flight make it happen. Since Oct. 1, 2016, JBOS has completed 197 contracts valued at $14.5 million.
“The JBOS flight has a very unique mission in support of JBER,” said Airman 1st Class Brian Nash, contracting specialist, 673d Contracting Squadron. “We purchase commodity and supply type items for the 673d Air Base Wing, 3rd Wing, Alaskan Command, U.S. Army Alaska, and other tenet organizations as needed.”
JBOS also supports the medical treatment facility, acquiring clinical and medical support contractor positions that oversee the treatment and care of 160,000 beneficiaries.
“Here at the 673d Contracting Squadron, and JBOS, we work as a team to provide the best solutions to any acquisition problem,” said Tech. Sgt. Jamie Screeton, contracting officer, 673d Contracting Squadron. “By working together, this allows us to formulate the best acquisition plan to fulfill any of our customers’ requirements and needs for JBER.”
Like many military jobs, very little can be accomplished as a lone wolf. JBOS proves time and time again that a small, tight-knit team can accomplish big things.
“The Joint Base Operational Support Flight in contracting is an incredible team consisting of our most junior Airman, Soldiers, seasoned contracting senior noncommissioned officers, and civilians who touch every aspect of this base with their incredible support,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Daniel J. Knight, Commander 673d Mission Support Group.
“They have diligently worked myriad projects, from saving $25,000 on a rock crusher for Civil Engineering to garnering a mobile C2 trailer and portable ballistic shacks for the Security Forces Squadron.”
In addition to the staggering $14.5 million in completed contracts, JBOS executed 73 contract actions valued at $529,000 in support of the Arctic ACE exercise in July of 2017.
“As stewards of taxpayer dollars, we have the responsibility of meeting the Air Force’s needs while employing the most cost-effective acquisition strategies,” Nash said. “Contracting is very unique in nature; unlike [other branches of military], enlisted personnel come into the career field as early as Airmen basic, and are trained and developed in order to answer our nation’s call and support contingency operations across the globe.”
The Operational Support Flight is the ‘get-it-done’ contracting flight for the installation, Knight concluded.