Dorm manager: hard work, rewarding experience

With 16 buildings, 1,421 rooms and nearly 1,300 Airmen, the dorm managers have the duty of managing dormitories and making things run smoothly for incoming and outgoing Airmen.

“We are constantly striving to improve the quality of life for Airmen,” said Staff Sgt. Robert Niter, Ramstein dormitory manager.

With about 10 dorm managers and an average of 40 work orders (repairs) per manager per month, they work hard to make sure the facilities are in great order for the Airmen to live in.

“We do a lot to take care of our Airmen,” said Staff Sgt. Sidreakus L. Lindsey, Ramstein dormitory manager. “We are the facility managers as well. The buildings and everything in them is ours to take care of.”

“The dorm managers got things done right away when I had issues with something in my dorm,” said Airman 1st Class Seth Parrish, a dorm resident. “Any questions I had were answered quickly and professionally.”

Keeping the rooms in working order is only a portion of what dorm managers are responsible for. “Once Airmen arrive on station, they must see us as soon as possible to get a room assignment,” Niter said.

As a part of in-processing, Airmen are required to attend a newcomer’s briefing and are given some basic rules and guidelines for living in the dormitories.
They need to follow the rules and ensure a clean living environment to make out-processing as quick and painless as possible, Lindsey said.

“Out-processing the dorms can be a little more challenging,” Niter said. “We have standards that need to be met as to how the rooms should be cleaned and our expectations (can) differ from their (Airmen) expectations.” Responsible for the upkeep of 16 buildings, dorm managers rely on the bay orderly program to assist their efforts to maintain them.

The bay orderly program is made up of Airmen selected by the first sergeants charged with cleaning the common areas and escorting personnel who come for repairs. They are briefed in the morning by a member of dorm management and at times work alongside each other to accomplish daily tasks.  “We get to interact and help Airmen every day, and that’s what makes this a very rewarding experience,” Lindsey said.