From the ground up: RED HORSE Airmen construct new facilities

Staff Sgt. Dustin Holmes from the 557th Expeditionary Red Horse Squadron drills a door hinge to the wall during the construction of a badging office on Joint Base Balad, Iraq, Jan. 13, 2010. Red Horse Airmen constructed the office from the ground up, everything from paving the concrete to building the wood-frame and installing the interior finishes. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brittany Y. Bateman/Released)

From the ground up: RED HORSE Airmen construct new facilities

Senior Airman Pedro Lora-Torres, 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron electrical systems journeyman, prepares the main distribution cable to an additional badging office on Joint Base Balad, Iraq, Jan. 13, 2010. Airmen from the 557th ERHS built the office so more foreign nationals can get through the gate in a timely manner. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brittany Y. Bateman/Released)

From the ground up: RED HORSE Airmen construct new facilities

Airman 1st Class Bruce Ramsey from the 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron uses a chop saw to cut a 2/4 structure on Joint Base Balad, Iraq, Jan. 13, 2010. RED HORSE squadrons construct some of the structures needed by contingency and special operations worldwide. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brittany Y. Bateman/Released)

From the ground up: RED HORSE Airmen construct new facilities

Published Jan. 19, 2010
By Airman 1st Class Allison M. Boehm
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- As troops continue supporting the responsible drawdown of U.S. servicemembers from Iraq, one unit is busy helping build toward the future of a self-sufficient Iraq by constructing facilities that promote a joint environment.

The 557th Expeditionary Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operations Repair Squadron of Engineers stood up three buildings outside of JBB in the past two months.

The team of 26 RED HORSE Airmen constructed a badging office that will be used by U.S security forces along with Ugandan security, a security station that will serve both U.S. military and Iraqi Police, and a medical training facility that will be used by U.S. military and Iraqi civilians.

"We realize this mission is important," said Senior Airman Albert Bullard, a 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE utilities journeyman. "The better job we do, and the faster we do it, the more it will aid the responsible drawdown of U.S. forces from Iraq as well as allow the Iraqis to be more self-reliant."

When local contractors were unable to meet the original requirements, the RED HORSE crew took on the challenge - totally more than 500 man-hours to complete the mission a month ahead of schedule by working diligently from dawn to dusk, even through day-long sand storms.

"We are working under a deadline, and we come together as a team," said Airman Bullard. "Once we have done our part and (completed) our mission, we can move onto the next mission that needs to be taken care of."

The forward-deployed RED HORSE team provided JBB with an internal heavy-construction capability that is renowned for its precision and speed.

"The team, which manifests excellence in the construction projects they take on, worked under a strict timeline to ensure this project was completed quickly," said Capt. Ben Knost, 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE site officer in charge.

By utilizing this group of specially-trained Airmen to design and build infrastructure and facilities, the government saved not only time, but money as well.

The badging office was slated to cost approximately $700,000 and take until the end of February to complete. They finished the facility by Jan. 1 for less than half the anticipated cost.

From laying the concrete, building the wood frame and installing interior finishes, the team truly constructed the three sites from the ground up. JBB funded the project, and materials were supplied from both local vendors and the base.
As Master Sgt. Chip Koons, 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron site project manager said, "As a unit we are here to sustain the fight, construct structures required within the mission, (we are) wherever they need our capability."