Colorado Air National Guard

Spacesaver's mobile storage systems have increased efficiency in weapons storage and mobility bag storage

SITUATION:

During transition into wartime, the Colorado Air National Guard, located at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado, had an immediate need for improved Base Supply operations when the base became active duty status. The department took on increased responsibilities for overseeing all of the weapons and mobility bags for the entire 140th Wing and required a more efficient storage solution.

SOLUTION:

While retrofitting the new building, they reevaluated their storage approach and utilized Spacesaver mobile systems. Dan Davis of Spacesaver Concepts, Inc., worked with them to design a massive powered system to store all of the mobility bags and a second powered system with Spacesaver's UWR storage system to store all of the weapons for the wing.

Weapons

Previously, weapons were stored in locked caskets, which were stacked three-to-four high. During inventory, each casket had to be moved, opened and inventoried. It was a major undertaking that was labor intensive and often took a dozen or more people to accomplish the procedure.

Now, as many as 819 M16s and 142 9mm weapons, valued at over $200,000 are stored within a small footprint inside a secure vault. Spacesaver's UWR storage system (Universal Weapons Rack) make inventory easily accounted for and maintained, requiring only a few hours and one person.

"We lost nothing in terms of security and gained extensively in efficiency," said Senior Master Sergeant John Zenyuch, base supply asset management superintendent. "Even with increased responsibilities, our technician is able to maintain and prepare inventory more efficiently and then have time to take on added responsibilities."

The group employs a triple-lock security system for all of its firearms. The first level of security is the door locks, second is the IDS room security system and, lastly, the lockable weapon racks.

Learn more about Spacesaver's armory storage solutions.

Mobility Bags

A massive powered system stores more than 4,000 mobility bags, as well as spare and back-up items for additional bags. Each person is assigned a bag and each bag is assigned a storage position within the system. The system eliminated the need for using Titan storage bins, which were often stacked three high and required a fork lift to access during deployment. Now, during a deployment, bags are located and retrieved in a matter of minutes.

"Having the Spacesaver system for our bag storage has us much better prepared," said Zenyuch. "They have allowed us to cut down our preparation for deployment from several hours to a matter of minutes."

Captain Brinkman, logistics readiness squadron operations officer, concluded by saying, "The efficiency we have achieved with the Spacesaver systems is immeasureable. Because our operation is so efficient, we've been able to remove obstacles for people to get their jobs done and have seen morale boosted."

Learn more about our logistic storage solutions.