Fighter Wing creates space for personnel

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Denise Willhite
  • 944th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The 944th Fighter Wing created a focus program to consolidate buildings and personnel by upgrading and renovating facilities throughout the wing this summer.

"This program will create efficient space for personnel to do their mission," said Master Sgt. Chuck Tehan, 944th Civil Engineer Squadron Readiness NCO-in-charge. "The consolidation of buildings will also save the 944th Fighter Wing money by getting rid of unused space that was not being occupied."

The buildings no longer used by the 944th FW will be returned to the 56th Fighter Wing for disposition while one building has already been demolished.

The 944th FW received approximately $6.2 million from Air Force Reserve Command to help with building renovations, repairing pavements and new constructions.

"The capital improvement projects are funded in areas where they have the most impact and serve as an investment to our Airmen and the local community while ensuring fiscal responsibility," said Denise Sullivan, 944th FW Finance supervisor.

The building that houses the 944th Logistics Readiness Squadron, 944th Services Flight and 944th Communication Element is one of the two facilities that will undergo a large-scale renovation during fiscal 2011. This will allow all Mission Support Group personnel to be located in one building, according to Sergeant Tehan.

The 944th hangar is another facility that will receive a significant renovation. The 944th Aeromedical Staging Squadron will move from their current location to the hangar in order to accommodate the number of personnel in the amount of space needed. After the 944th ASTS moves, the Army Corps of Engineers will become the new occupants of the building.

Additional major projects include renovation of the Military Equal Opportunity office; construction of a canopy for the 944th CES and 944th Transportation Squadron's parking lots; refurbishment of the interior finishes in the medical squadron building and restoration of the 944th Security Forces Squadron's roof.

According to Sergeant Tehan, parking lot pavement repairs at six 944th FW buildings are projected to be completed by the end of September. Future renovations and repairs of wing buildings should be finished by March 2011.

"The focus program allows personnel to have more space to do the mission, and this will build morale throughout the wing," Sergeant Tehan said.