932nd AW breaks ground on new operations

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Gerald Sonnenberg and Monte Miller
  • 932 AW/PA
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Bright sunshine welcomed a groundbreaking ceremony for the 932nd Airlift Wing.

Representatives from Congress, local communities and Scott Air Force Base atteneded as ground was broken for a new 52,000 square foot Operations Group facility and the combined 375th Airlift Wing/932nd Airlift Wing Command Post and Installation Control Center.

Ground was broken October 17 on the 52,000 square foot 932nd Airlift Wing Operations Group facility.

The new building includes staff areas for the 932nd AW, 73rd Airlift Squadron, 54th Airlift Squadron and the 932nd Operations Support Flight, whose functions include training, tactics, current operations and life support.

The facility will also include a command post operated by both 932nd and 375th AW personnel. The new command post also includes a combined installation control center.
In addition, the facility will provide office space for the C-40C and C-9C programs, office and warehouse space for the C-40C and well as conference rooms, training areas, locker and break rooms and miscellaneous other spaces.

The new facility is located just north of the 932nd AW (Bldg. 450) and has an expected completion date of January 2010.

Five years ago this month, the Air Force started looking at options for bedding down C-9Cs and C-40Cs here at Scott to support worldwide air transportation for the Executive Branch, Congressional Delegations, DoD officials and other high-ranking dignitaries of the U.S. and foreign governments. By February 2004, the Secretary of the Air Force had approved the plan and by the following summer, Congress was well on its way to including language in the Defense Appropriations Bill for the president's signature.

Since that time there have been countless hours of extremely hard work performed by members across Joint Total Force Scott to ensure the success of this mission. Since transitioning from an Aeromedical Evacuation mission to a Distinguished Visitor Airlift mission, the 73rd AS, the newly established 54th AS, the 932nd Operations Support Flight and the entire 932nd Maintenance Group have provided and maintained first class, worldwide, safe and reliable airlift for our nation's leaders, foreign dignitaries and their staffs. None of this could have been done without the support of the 375th AW, the active duty host, and the 89th and 113th Wings, and active duty and Air National Guard counterparts at Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

"Col. Gary Goldstone, 375th AW commander, and the entire team here have gone the extra mile in supporting all facets of this mission and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude for being such key players on this road to success," said Col. Jay Flournoy, 932nd AW commander.

Some major milestones have been met during the short time the 932nd AW and 54th AS have been flying this mission. Together they have flown more than 5,070 accident free flying hours to 87 different countries around the world, supporting key world dignitaries such as the First Lady, two Speakers of the House, multiple congressional delegations, senior administration and Department of Defense officials and the Presidents of Iraq and Afghanistan. The 932nd AW and the 375th AW also led the way in the Air Force by combining command post operations into one facility where Reserve and active duty personnel execute the mission side by side as partners.

Due to the unwavering support from the members of Congress, the Air Staff and Air Force Reserve Command headquarters and Air Mobility Command, the 932nd AW and the 54th AS are well on their way to acquiring the necessary tools to ensure maximum success. The staffing numbers are increasing daily, three C-40Cs have arrived and are fully operational, the Flight Attendant Kitchen is now fully funded and will be completely operational in the very near future, and now the new Operations Group building will ensure that our operators, 932nd and 375th AW key decision makers and command post controllers have a state of the art facility that will enhance both wings' capabilities.