Detachment 1 keeps Thule humming

Published April 8, 2008
By Corey Dahl
21st Space Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Without the 21st Contracting Squadron's Detachment 1, life on Thule Air Base, situated 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle, would be pretty difficult.

The base's tenants would have no heat or lights, making Greenland's frosty, sunless winters a lot more difficult. Staying in shape would be nearly impossible - who wants to jog in sub-zero temperatures? And fruit? Thule's not exactly surrounded by orange groves.

But thanks to Detachment 1, Thule Airmen don't have to worry about any of that. The nine-person unit, based in Copenhagen, Denmark, is dedicated to making sure Airmen stationed at the Department of Defense's northernmost installation are able to, among other things, get their apple a day, stay in shape and - most importantly - keep warm.

The men and women of Detachment 1 oversee the contracts that provide life support at Thule, from the airlifts that regularly ship perishables to the base to the employees in charge of running Thule's fitness, community and bowling centers.

"We work with the folks who keep the lights on, the heat going, the flight line clear," said Lt. Col. Severin Blenkush, the detachment's commander. "We have a good working relationship with them so the servicemembers at Thule can get their mission done. They don't have to worry about the contractor keeping the lights and heat on."

In addition to managing the contracts for day-to-day support, the unit also oversees contracts for larger projects, such as painting Thule's airstrip and repairing its pier - an important drop-off point for the ships that supply the base twice a year.

Patrick King, a contracting officer with the unit since 2003, said the work is fulfilling.

"Our 'Team Thule' is a great group of individuals working together to ensure that our troops on site have everything they need to fulfill their mission under very extreme conditions," he said. "It's great working here."

It's also unique. There are no U.S. military installations in Copenhagen, so Detachment 1 is housed in the U.S. embassy there. The unit's employees live and work among Danes, Greenlanders, Britons and many other nationalities, Colonel Blenkush said, making it a truly international experience.

"You go to Ramstein or these other large bases, and they're like little Americas," he said. "We don't have any of that here. No Taco Bell, no Chili's. We all live like the Danes do. We truly are immersed in the Danish culture."

Living like a Dane can have its drawbacks - the tax rate is fairly high, Colonel Blenkush said, so McDonald's value meals cost as much as $12. But it also has its high points. The members of Detachment 1 can travel easily throughout Europe, the sun doesn't set until late at night in the summer and transportation is as cheap and easy as hopping on a bike.

"I bike five miles into work everyday," Colonel Blenkush said. "I've put more miles on my bike since I've been here than I have on my car."

Denmark-based Airmen support space mission