Ground broken on new equipment facility

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Matthew Hubby
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Members of Team Dover gathered together to celebrate the ground breaking of a new Aircrew Flight Equipment facility April 12.

AFE is currently housed in three separate buildings, the new facility will bring the 730 aircrew members to one central location.

"This is a great day for Dover," said Col. Manson Morris, 436th Airlift Wing commander. "We are getting a facility that matches our fine Airmen. This new facility could not have been built without the progress of our new outsized cargo facility and the efforts of our Airmen here at Dover."

The new $5.7 million 20,645 square feet facility will take nearly one year to complete. Airmen in the AFE are already eager to move into the new building.

Some Airmen have even volunteered to return from leave early if necessary, and come in on their days off to get the move completed, said Senior Airman Darren Staples, 436th Operation Support Squadron Aircrew Flight Equipment journeyman.

"The Warfighter depends on what you all do here," said U.S. Senator Thomas Carper. "I'm proud of all the work that you do here, and this is a very happy day for me. It is good to see such excellence to the mission and our troops overseas."


The new facility will host an automated equipment retrieval system which will lessen the time to retrieve equipment for aircrew personnel who require it. The facility is also located on the flight line for a single stop visit for aircrew before they head to their aircraft.

"This is really a good move for us," said Airman 1st Class Ryan Houston, 436th OSS Aircrew Flight Equipment journeyman. "This move will help us serve our customers and increase our productivity."

This move will bring all 37 AFE Airmen under one roof lessening the amount of travel time to get to their jobs, said Airman Houston. He said he doesn't expect any problems with the different sections working together as a unit as they already are a team.

"We are all really excited about our new building," said Airman Staples. "It will improve morale and our efficiency as we work closer together."

When the new facility is finished next year, the AFE flight plans on moving over as quickly as possible in order to support the mission. The three shops, Chemical warfare and Oxygen, flightline, and training will come together and move everything as needed, he added.