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The Kaiserslautern Military Community Top 3 members are shaking things up at the Ramstein Airman’s Attic.
In Bldg. 2162, by the south-side barber shop, the Ramstein Airman’s Attic is a no cost military thrift shop that offers a variety of uniforms and household items to enlisted members of the KMC. The program is tailored to meet the needs of staff sergeants and below and its services are also extended to their families.
“Basically it’s just Airmen taking care of each other,” said Master Sgt. Brian Wells, 86th Airlift Wing Inspector General Inspection readiness inspection planner and key manager for the Airman’s Attic. “That is the whole premise of the program.”
Historically, attracting a large number of volunteers has been a challenging issue for the Airman’s Attic.
“With the amount of donations we get, we need volunteers to be able to sort those items out,” said Senior Airman Jessica Sholar, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa workflow management administrator and Airman’s Attic scheduler. “On top of the sorting in the back, we need volunteers out on the floor helping the customers and answering any of their questions. The volunteers are what keeps the Airman’s Attic running. If we don’t have a certain amount of volunteers, we cannot open, and that is one shift out of the four we have per week that was missed out on.”
While the number of volunteers the Airman’s Attic needs fluctuates, it typically takes four or five volunteers to assist consumers and donators per shift.
“There have been days when only 20 people come to the Airman’s Attic and just last Wednesday we had 80 people come through,” said Wells. “So it ebbs and flows, we definitely see an influx around the permanent change of station season.”
Through strategic repurposing the KMC Top 3 organization is looking to centralize some of the Airman’s Attic’s resources. One big change scheduled by the Airman’s Attic’s new leadership includes shelving modification that allows consumers to browse apparel on hangers instead of prying through folded materials. The change should also reduce the amount of time needed to restock shelving.
“One thing that looks like it’s here to stay are ‘dish kits,’” Wells said. “We have dish kits ranging from a family size of two up to a family size of six. To include anything you would need to keep you afloat until either your household goods arrive here or after your household goods have been picked up while you’re waiting to PCS. And those can be handed out upwards of 30 days at a time.”
For us, by us, is the mindset that keeps the Airman’s Attic afloat. While charitable contributions help the Airman’s Attic carry on, not every donation can be accepted.
“If anyone is planning on donating to the Airman’s Attic, items must be serviceable, clean, and also current,” said Wells. “The large electronics, computers, scanners, printers, we’re not taking those things. Half the time they are so out of date they’re not really useable.”
Those who wish to donate but may not have extra clothes or appliances on hand have the option of donating money to the organization.
“We use monetary donations to aid the support equipment for the Airman’s Attic,” said Sholar. “It has been used for cleaning equipment to keep the facility up and running and also for things like building shelving and storage spaces so we can keep all the donations organized.”
The coming weeks might be a trying time for service members using the Airmans’ Attic, but with service updates and a new management, there will be a brighter future on the horizon.
“The Airman’s Attic is here to stay,” said Wells. “Hopefully over the next month and a half we can get some things in there sorted out and get it back to where we’re thriving.”
KMC members looking to volunteer at the Airman’s Attic who are available for any amount of time during Attic operating hours should contact Senior Airman Jessica Sholar at kmcairmansattic@gmail.com to schedule times to volunteer.
