May 13 designated as ‘Tinker Pride’ Day Published May 5, 2011 By 72nd Air Base Wing Civil Engineer Directorate Asset Management TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- In an effort to make installation stewardship a key component of the culture of excellence, Col. Bob LaBrutta, 72nd Air Base Wing and Tinker installation commander, has designated May 13 as "Tinker Pride" Day. This will be a day for members of Team Tinker to showcase their pride in the installation and join forces with the 72nd Civil Engineering Environmental Green Team to get out and pick up debris and trash that winter and Oklahoma winds have left behind To make this "Tinker Pride" Day happen, Colonel LaBrutta requests organizations send personnel out to pick up trash, leaves, branches and other debris in a "FOD Walk" mode in their assigned area. Picking up trash across the base will not only help keep contaminants out of the creeks and surface waters, it will also reduce the potential for FOD on the airfield, keeping flight crews safer. Moreover, it will enhance base appearance improving the quality of life for everyone. Because of severe budget cuts, the base no longer has funding to perform this task. Therefore, the team approach must be used for this effort. Accordingly, each unit is asked to organize a pool of volunteers to pick up trash, debris and clutter such as old pallets, junk furniture and branches in their assigned area. Each organization is asked to provide adequate gloves, trash bags, bottled water and any other items needed for the cleanup. Once trash bags are filled, they should be deposited in one of the dumpsters in your area. The base-wide cleanup takes place from 7:30 to 11 a.m. May 13. From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Balfour Beatty will provide lunch -- hotdogs, hamburgers, chips and drinks -- for the cleanup volunteers at the large pavilion west of the golf course. Participation in "Tinker Pride" Day makes Tinker Air Force Base a champion of the Great American Cleanup by keeping our corner of America beautiful.