Ground broken for new $8 million Squad Operations Building at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base
By Robert Norris
of The Daily Times Staff
Originally published: October 27. 2009 3:01AM
Military commanders and representatives of local, state and federal governments broke ground Monday for a new $8 million Squadron Operations Center at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base.
Squad Ops serves as an Air Force command post and operations center for intelligence functions, air crew training, mission scheduling and planning, air crew briefing and debriefing, standardization and evaluation, flight planning, life support, survival equipment and unit administration.
Efforts to authorize the new building started five years ago. The facility should be operational before this time next year.
U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan Jr. said the new facility shows a recognition of the accomplishments by Guard units stationed at McGhee Tyson Air Base.
“I remember not long ago when the base-closing commission was shutting down bases or cutting back on bases that here at McGhee Tyson they raised the number (of personnel) from 1,700 to 1,958,” Duncan said.
Maj. Gen. Hargett, Tennessee adjutant general, said the new Squadron Operations Building will allow the base to handle the next generation refueling aircraft that replaces the KC-135R.
“What I think it really does, though, it solidifies the future of the 134th Air Refueling Wing here at McGhee Tyson,” Hargett said.
Among other attendees: U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, Maj. Gen. Russ Cotney, state assistant adjutant general for air, Alcoa City Manager Mark Johnson, Alcoa Mayor Don Mull, Blount County Mayor Jerry Cunningham, Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker aide David Leaverton, and representatives of the two firms contracted to do the project, Burke Pinnell, of Hickory Construction, and Chris Soro, of C2RL Engineering. Both companies are headquartered in Alcoa.