Guernsey Helps U.S. Armed Forces’ Quality of Life Movement
09.30.2004
OKLAHOMA CITY – Fitness, health and wellness are on Americans’ minds these days as they take care of themselves and increase their quality of life. U.S. Armed Forces personnel are no different.
The Department of Defense has seen a decrease in the number of recruits. To combat declining numbers and compete with the private sector, the military has instilled a quality of life movement, in which the basic goal is to improve the moral, welfare and recreation of military service members and their families. This goal affects areas from pay and compensation to living environments and community support programs.
In a May 7, 2004 release to the media, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, cited that recent military successes validate the investments outlined in the National Defense Authorization Bill for Fiscal Year 2005.
“This bill gives our service men and women the equipment they need; the enhanced quality of life they and their families deserve and the promise of a transformed force for the future,” said Warner.
A portion of the bill requests additional funding for military construction and states, “The committee continues its support of the military services' efforts to modernize, renovate and improve aging defense facilities and focused its funding priorities on improving quality of life, infrastructure and readiness-related projects for the active and reserve components.”
C. H. Guernsey & Company, an Oklahoma-based engineering, architecture and consulting firm, actively supports the U.S. Armed Forces’ quality of life movement with its focus on military fitness centers, family housing and child development centers design and development.
Over the past five years, GUERNSEY designed six fitness facilities, two family housing facilities, two child development centers and two youth recreation centers as part of its involvement with the quality of life movement. These facilities – located in Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas – offer military personnel and their families multiple wellness opportunities such as fitness, education and health.
“The military is in competition and these facilities are equal to, or in many cases, better than private sectors’ facilities,” said Pat Carroll, GUERNSEY board member and architect and engineering manager. “Our standard approach is to offer quality, innovative design solutions, and it gives us pride to support the U.S. military with the services we provide.”
GUERNSEY’s design involvement with the fitness center at Little Rock AFB achieved U.S. Air Force 2000 Concept Award.
According to James Pfeifer, Little Rock Corps of Engineers project manager, the Little Rock AFB facility is considered the center piece of the base and promotes the quality of life goal.
Pfeifer also stated the facility has become the model for other military installations.
“Other branches of the military services have toured the facility, and received planning documents for review for their new facilities,” said Pfeifer.
C. H. Guernsey & Company Background Information:
C. H. Guernsey & Company, celebrating more than 75 years of business, offers quality engineering, architectural and consulting solutions to clients in the United States and abroad. GUERNSEY has its headquarters in Oklahoma City with offices in Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois and Texas. Visit http://www.chguernsey.com for additional information.
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EDITOR’S NOTES:
Sen. John Warner Quote Information:
Sen. John Warner, R-Va., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee quote originally appeared on May 7, 2004 in a press release titled, “Senate Armed Services Committee Completes Mark Up of National Defense Authorization Bill for Fiscal Year 2005.” The article is available at http://armed-services.senate.gov/press/05mark.pdf.
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