The first quiet breath Airmen and Guardians take after the intensity of basic training is in their dorm room. It’s often their first true impression of the Air or Space Force, the first time living away from family, and the place they will call home for the foreseeable future. At places like Aviano Air Base, Italy, where distance away from loved ones stretches across oceans and time zones, that room carries an even heavier weight.
When the Secretary of War established the Barracks Task Force in October 2025, it signaled a definitive, department-wide commitment: readiness begins with quality of life and that means Airmen walk into safe, clean, and comfortable dorms on day one. Enterprise-wide evaluations prompted targeted updates to facilities; however, they also reaffirmed that the majority of Department of the Air Force dormitories were adequate.
Aviano, in particular, is building on this strong foundation set by the DAF, translating that commitment into daily action in ways that often do not make headlines. The impact is often felt in small, deeply personal moments.
One evening, an Airman returned home and turned on his shower when the handle broke off in his hand, sending water spraying across the bathroom. Senior Airman Ronald Collins, a plumber assigned to the 31st Civil Engineer Squadron’s Bull Maintenance Team, responded to the call. “He had gotten off shift and just wanted to take a shower,” Collins said. “Being able to fix that and see how grateful he was – that’s what makes it meaningful.”
Moments like that may seem routine at first, but they tell a much larger story. A story of readiness in action with dormitories ready to support mission performance. Behind every repair is a deliberate effort to ensure Airman living spaces remain a sanctuary.
For Lt. Col. Anna Narduzzi, commander of the 31st CES, dormitories are an integral part of readiness. “The dorms are not just another facility on the installation. They are where our Airmen live,” Narduzzi said. “Dormitories are an integral part of the weapon system at Aviano.”
Airmen and Guardians start and end their day in those rooms. They return after long hours on the flight line, at the gate, in maintenance shops, or in support roles across the wing. The condition of those living spaces directly affects their ability to recover and return prepared for the next shift.
“Dormitories are an absolute operational imperative,” said Chief Master Sgt. Phillip Acord, Senior enlisted leader for the 31st CES. “If Airmen are concerned about the room they’re returning to at the end of the day, they’re going to be distracted and not able to fully focus on the mission.”
That connection between home and performance is not theoretical; it is lived experience.
“If you’re not able to relax at home, you’re not going to be 100 percent at work,” said Aviano dorm resident, Senior Airman Brisella Mata. “Coming home and being able to relax in a safe environment means a lot.”
Through the Barracks Task Force initiative, Aviano received nearly $600,000 for small quick-fix requirements, putting the funding directly into action for repairs such as HVAC, roof repairs, boilers, and bathroom fans.
Staff Sgt. Mendoza Devon, an Airman Dorm Leader with the 31st CES, explained that the impact has been tangible. As an ADL, Devon’s role centers on the care and well-being of dorm residents, ensuring spaces are safe, clean, and comfortable. “The well-being of our Airmen is our top priority,” he said. “It starts in their room.”
Improvements have ranged from HVAC upgrades and painting projects to furniture refreshes and increased maintenance responsiveness. The initiative also provided what Devon described as “optics, funding, and resources that we otherwise would not have,” empowering local teams to address projects previously constrained by time and funding.
While the 31st CES leads much of the effort, Aviano illustrates a truly cross-functional approach to the Barracks Task Force. Members outside of traditional maintenance roles, including the 31st Munitions Squadron and 31st Communications Squadron, have contributed significant time and energy toward dorm improvement projects.
For some Airmen, that contribution came from building community within the dorms themselves. “Bringing people together was the main benefit,” Network Infrastructure Technician Senior Airman Jason Starkey said. “It built a stronger community and improved morale for the Airmen.”
Senior Airman Destiny Hardwick, an F-15 Weapons Technician, took a similar approach through events like a dorm beautification project and summer barbeque, all leading to a sense of belonging among residents. “My goal was to make the dorms feel less like a temporary space and more like a neighborhood,” Hardwick said. “The events helped Airmen meet their fellow peers, build friendships, and learn more about the area.”
For others, that support happened behind the scenes by helping Airmen maintain spaces they rely on every day. Airman Linette Segura Acosta, an Armament Maintenance Member, contributed through the Bay Orderly Program. “Working alongside ADLs and the CES gave me a better understanding of all the work it takes to maintain resident living conditions,” Acosta said. “I also saw how it improved communication between Airmen and leadership.”
The involvement of numerous teams reflects the broader culture of shared responsibility at Aviano, where improving the quality of life for Airmen is a base-wide effort that ultimately strengthens overall readiness.
In addition to infrastructure upgrades, Aviano is modernizing how dorm residents communicate concerns and track progress. The 31st CES Information Technology team developed and now implemented a dorm campus app designed to streamline work orders and improve two-way communication between residents and Airman Dorm Leaders, with potential to inform similar efforts across the enterprise. “It allows Airmen to provide direct feedback and stay informed,” Narduzzi said. “It strengthens trust and ensures issues remain visible until they’re resolved.”
To further prioritize dorm conditions, Aviano established a dedicated Bull Maintenance Team within the CES whose sole focus is dorm maintenance.
“It’s such a high priority that we have dedicated manpower focused on dorms every single day,” Acord said. Collins, who has been on the Bull Maintenance Team for four months, sees the impact firsthand. “Everything we do is a bigger part of the mission – even the small jobs,” he said. “The dorms should feel like home, and we’re helping improve that.”
Whether repairing plumbing or coordinating with electricians, the team works across trades to ensure dorm systems function as intended.
For Airman 1st Class Landon Parr, an HVAC technician with the 31st CES, much of that work happens behind the walls. “We’re fixing thermostats, making sure the boilers send hot water to the showers and sinks, and making sure there’s adequate water pressure,” Parr said. “Providing heating, cooling, and hot water might seem simple, but it makes the dorms livable and comfortable.”
At Aviano, that work can be technically complex. Parr recalls repairing a cracked heat exchanger in a dorm boiler, a critical component responsible for delivering heated water throughout the building. “Being part of this effort made me see the bigger picture,” he said. “We’re not just fixing systems. We’re improving quality of life for every Airman in those dorms.”
For Aviano leadership, the improvements are about more than infrastructure: they reinforce a culture of care and readiness. “When Airmen arrive at their first base, we need to onboard them properly,” Acord said. “If we do that right, they can focus on learning their jobs, completing upgrade training, and becoming lethal and ready.”
At Aviano Air Base, readiness does not begin on the runway, it begins where Airmen live. Through the Barracks Task Force, the Air and Space Force are translating enterprise commitment into installation-level action, ensuring that foundation remains strong.