Dorm residents make Barksdale spotless

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Brittany Y. Bateman
  • 2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  The bay orderly program requires dorm residents to help keep the base dormitories clean for Airmen. 

Every week, two Airmen from each dormitory leave their normal work sections for five duty days to perform dorm clean-up duty. 

Bay orderly is the main method in keeping the dorms clean and in good-working order.
The program is comprised of residents detailed by individual units to perform required duties that ensure cleanliness standards common living areas are maintained. 

Installations establish a bay orderly program based on local requirements. Squadron 
commanders or first sergeants schedule and assign bay orderlies for duty as required. 

Aside from appearance, dorm clean up also reaps other benefits. 

"Picking up and properly disposing of trash around the dorms also has a positive impact on the environment." said Staff Sgt. Kimberly Kelly, 2d Civil Engineer Squadron, dorm manager. 

The duty, is one-week long, starting on a Tuesday and ending the following Monday. 

Bay orderlies are also expected to clean their buildings on weekends and holidays, though they do not report to the office to sign in on those days. 

"How often an Airman has bay orderly a year depends on the size of the squadron and the first sergeant," said Staff Sgt. Brian Jones, 2d CES, consolidated dorm manager. "Some Airmen have it once a year and some Airmen are here for months at a time." 

Bay orderlies are responsible for many things around the dormitories and each Airman works in the dorm assigned to their respective squadron. Duties include: emptying trash cans, sweeping walkways, stairwells and breezeways and cleaning dayrooms, laundry rooms and common area kitchens and bathrooms. They are also responsible for restocking paper supplies and replacing burnt out light bulbs. Bay orderlies also report any problems with the facilities to the dorm management office, and ensure all washers and dryers are in good working order. 

Occasionally theses airmen are tasked to help unload trucks or do other non-routine tasks as needed. Some have scraped ceilings and painted dorm rooms. 

"Bay orderly affects the mission in many ways one way is it keeps our base looking clean and in inspection order," said Airman 1st Class Shamika Certain, 2d Maintenance Group, communications apprentice. "It also gives Airmen a reason to appreciate and respect the community around us by not littering and becoming more cautious of the way we dispose of trash and other items, therefore promoting better, well-rounded Airmen that are willing to be more dedicated to supporting the mission." 

The first sergeants for each unit are responsible for making the bay orderly schedule for the Airmen in their units. 

"It's up to each individual squadron to decide whether or not dorm chiefs have to do bay orderly," said Sergeant Kelly. "No Airman is exempt from having to perform the detail, but the squadrons do get to make their own decisions regarding who is required to serve." 

Airmen are expected to report with good attitudes and a willingness to work. Without clean, serviceable dormitories, quality of life suffers and work performance is degraded. The work completed by these Airmen affect the mission in many ways.