RAF Mildenhall kicks off ESOHCAMP assessment

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Neal Joiner
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Air Force leaders, at all levels, face challenges every day with regards to ensuring their Airmen are able to complete their mission.

For commanders, this means making sure the right equipment is available for the job, the correct training is provided to operate it and a safe working environment. One tool to assist a commander with meeting this last requirement is the Environmental Safety Occupational Health Compliance Assessment and Management Program.

An integral part of the program is the internal assessment, the purpose of which is to help commanders assess the status of their environmental, safety and occupational health programs.

RAF Mildenhall conducted a base-wide internal assessment Oct. 17 to 21.

"The effort currently being given by our assessors and shop personnel will ensure Team Mildenhall complies with environmental responsibilities, is safe and healthy on-the-job, and is prepared for the next U.S. Air Forces in Europe tier III ESOHCAMP assessment in the summer," said Paul Scoggins, 100th Civil Engineering Squadron.

Assessment teams are comprised of Airmen from various base organizations that may have no prior knowledge of the program. Once trained, they are assigned different protocols, or inspectable areas, and then conduct location visits to identify areas of non-compliance.

"The training was good." said Peter Blackwell, 100th Communications Squadron cyber requirements manager. " It really hit all the relevant information. It's also nice to get out around the base [conducting assessments] and see some new faces."

The increased visibility of these assessments is a great opportunity for work areas to advocate for resources that they need to reduce risk. This not only ensures shops are meeting regulatory requirements but also are able to acquire the funding needed to provide a safe working environment for their employees.

The findings will be reported directly to Col. Kyle Voigt, 100th Air Refueling Wing vice commander, who is responsible for the base's program. Voigt will then report the findings upwards to request the funds needed to ensure the safety and regulatory compliance of the base.

With Team Mildenhall's assessment well under way, the future is looking bright for the safety of the base's Airmen and the continued completion of their mission.