Extra duty flight provides more than additional duties

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A new program here offers members not only a cleaner community but another mentorship opportunity for Airmen as well.

The Extra Duty Flight is a valuable tool I use to promote two of our basic mission tasks at D-M -- developing and nurturing our Airmen and installation stewardship, said Col. Michael Spencer, 355th Wing Commander. This Flight provides us the opportunity to get our Airmen back on track while policing the base with minimum overhead.

Designed by the bases senior leadership, the Extra Duty Flight is composed of those who have received extra duties as a punishment under Article 15 Nonjudicial Punishment actions.

According to Capt. Timothy Rushenberg, 355th Wing chief of NJP actions, the Uniform Code of Military Justice authorizes a number of different punishments to be administered once the commander has considered all of the relevant facts. One such punishment is the assignment of extra duties.

Extra duties involve the performance of duties in addition to those normally assigned to the Airman undergoing punishment, Captain Rushenberg said. Military duties of any kind may be assigned as extra duty. However, no extra duty may be imposed that constitutes a known safety or health hazard to the Airman or that constitutes cruel or unusual punishment.

Integrating the people assigned extra duties into the goal of installation stewardship led to the inception of a program that will help Davis-Monthans surroundings improve.

The Extra Duty Flight will help us beautify the base and ensure that D-M is clean and presentable, Captain Rushenberg said. Those within the Flight sweep sidewalks, pull weeds, pick up trash and other various duties around the installation.

But there is more to the program than punishment.

When our Airmen report to the Extra Duty Flight, we stress to them that while they are settling an administrative debt, they are still our most precious resource," said Colonel Spencer. Before they start their weekend duties, I have a (senior) NCO discuss the importance of their continued service and the importance of details they are about to perform. My ultimate goal is to help them get through the rough times and onto a better road as a team member.

The group will be highly visible to the base community. Participants wear bright orange vests and are followed by a truck with Extra Duty Flight stickers posted on the front, back and sides. This is another tactic for the program: visibility of the offender.

We want these Airmen to be as visible as possible, said Tech. Sgt. Desi Jauregui, 355th Medical Support Squadron assistant NCO in charge Extra Duty Flight. Telling people if they get into trouble they might end up picking up trash on their Saturdays and Sundays is one thing but actually seeing others out there doing it can be a better deterrent.

The period of punishment is determined by the offending Airmans commander, Captain Rushenberg said. It may vary from one to 45 days. The length of time will depend upon several factors, including the type of crime committed.

While this is still a new program, many are already seeing the positive results not only on the clean streets but in the actions of Airmen as well.

When I first found out I would have to be picking up trash around base as my extra-duty assignment, I was pretty upset, said Airman 1st Class Justin Glen, 355th Component Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion journeyman. Lets face it; it sounds like a bad detail. You cant do what you want on your weekend while all your friends are out having fun. But after doing it for the last couple of weekends, my attitude has changed. Even though I am being punished, I think it is a great tool to get the base clean and deter people from messing up.

Airman Glen also says he understands the flight is about more than punishment.

I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, Airman Glen said. My goal each weekend is to go out there, find trash, pick it up and do the best I can to get D-M looking nice. That attitude helps the day go faster and will hopefully help time fly for the people Im out there with. In the end, my first sergeant will see that I was willing to turn around and it will make all the difference for my future in the Air Force.