Base Operations re-opens following major renovation Published April 10, 2008 By Tech. Sgt. Doug Hays 434th ARW Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- A showcase facility for Air Force Reserve Command. That's how Bob Ulibarri, the airfield operations manager, describes the newly renovated Bldg. 600. The base just completed a total $7 million building renovation project that increased the square footage from 25,414 square feet to 28,068 square feet. It's really nice, they did a great job," he said. The building will house the airfield operations functions consisting of airfield management, weather services, aircrew briefing, and distinguished visitor lounge and passenger terminal. New to the facility are the joint 72nd and 74th Air Refueling Squadron life support sections. The 72nd and 74th ARS life support functions are merging and the building accommodates that merge. "The new building is great," said Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Terhune, 72nd Air Refueling Squadron life support. "[The merge] helps eliminate the redundancy of equipment, storage, tools and even helps streamline our training needs. "With everyone together under one roof we have a better working relationship and are starting to build new personal relationships with our counterparts," he added. "It was designed the right way for our specific use so everything is how we need it." The building will also be the alternate location for the command post and emergency operations center, and also has a large training room area with a conference atmosphere. The year-long project gutted the historic building and removed the dirt piled up in slopes along its sides, reminiscent of a cold-war era bomb shelter. "The only thing left standing was the beams and the plaque that identified it as a historic building," Mr. Ulibarri said. The plaque is a memorial to Maj. Michael L. Davis. Major Davis was a Distinguished Flying Cross medal recipient for operations flown in Southeast Asia. He was instrumental in establishing the alert facility and Grissom as the primary National Emergency Airborne Command Post forward operating base. Major Davis died of cancer on December 26, 1987. The building is named the "Michael L. Davis" facility and the name is on the side of the building facing the flight line at the aircrew entrance to the building. Construction at Grissom continues as work on the radar approach control facility nears completion. The $6 million dollar facility will house state of the art radar equipment, the standard terminal automated radar system and digital airport surveillance radar. The new RAPCON will also house the state of the art tower simulator system, which is like a virtual surround system presenting real like air traffic and ground traffic images. Air Traffic Control personnel utilize the simulator to train on various simulated training scenarios, for example tactical arrival and departure procedures. The RAPCON building structures have been completed; however, the radar operations room is still undergoing completion as the new radar equipment and systems begin to arrive early spring. The RAPCON operations are estimated to begin this October with the DASR being completed by the summer 2009.
