Giant voice gets giant power upgrade

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Seth Reynolds, 219th Engineering Installation Squadron and member of the Oklahoma Air National Guard, prepares to install a solar panel on a giant voice system pole at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Aug. 26, 2013. To ensure emergency notifications are relayed to base personnel, members of the 35th Communications Squadron teamed up with members of the Oklahoma ANG to install solar panels as a backup source of power. After the natural disaster that struck Japan in 2011, the giant voice system was without power, which lead to the start of the project to install around 60 solar panels across base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zachary Kee)

Giant voice gets giant power upgrade

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Christofer Floyd, 35th Communications Squadron transmission systems technician, shows Col. Stephen Williams, 35th Fighter Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Gary Sharp, 35 FW command chief, a solar panel during a visit to a tower at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Aug. 16, 2013. Solar panels are being installed across the base on every giant voice system to ensure notifications are received in the event of a real world emergency. Approximately 60 solar panels are scheduled to be up and running by spring 2014 as a backup power source for the giant voice. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Lipscomb)

Giant voice gets giant power upgrade

Published Sept. 10, 2013
By Airman 1st Class Zachary Kee
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- We all hear retreat and the national anthems play at the end of every duty day, and of course that familiar voice that says "exercise, exercise, exercise."

But where does this all knowing omniscient voice come from?

It comes from a giant voice system that Airmen from the Oklahoma Air National Guard and 219th Engineering Installation Squadron recently began upgrading.

The ANG was selected to complete the project in-house instead of hiring contractors, which saves the Air Force a good deal of money.

"By bringing in the Air National Guard instead of contractors it saved the Air Force around 150,000 dollars," said Tech. Sgt. Clarence Armas, 35th Communications Squadron program manager.

On top of saving the Air Force money, a bigger purpose is also served by installing these solar panels.

"The purpose of the project is to provide backup power to the giant voice system, which runs on four car batteries" said Armas. "During the earthquake in 2011, it knocked down the power and we didn't have any backup batteries. With that in mind, the intent of the project in the long run is to have the solar panels become the primary power source."

Solar panels will be installed on every tower, seven dormitories, and every giant voice system pole around base.

The projected completion date of the project is spring 2014 and once completed, Airmen from the 219 EIS will have installed more than 60 solar panels.

"We do this all around the world and in the states," said Tech. Sgt. Barry Huffman 219 EIS and a member of the Oklahoma ANG stationed out of Tulsa, Okla. "Our mission is to engineer, install, and maintain communications equipment such as giant voice systems, fiber, copper cables, and airfield radios."

With their help, the base community will receive not only solar panels but a guarantee that important information and notifications will be passed on to them in an emergency.

"The biggest benefit of the solar panels is it is a source of power that ensures the giant voice system stays up and running," said Armas. "The giant voice system is the fastest way to get out information, and without it we would have to find another way to notify people."