U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY -- U.S. Airmen from the 378th Expeditionary Air Base Group, Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Expeditionary Force Support Squadron and Expeditionary Contracting Squadron participated in a ribbon-cutting and grand-opening ceremony for a newly constructed morale, welfare and recreation pre-engineered building Sept. 9 and 18, 2025.
The process underscored the 378th Air Expeditionary Wing’s commitment to maintaining mission readiness and reinforcing the enduring posture as a partner of choice within the region. U.S. Airmen from the 378th ECONS, ECES and EFSS as well as local civilian contractors and Royal Saudi Air Force service members, contributed efforts to the facility, deepening the ties between the 378th AEW and our host nation partners.
The 378th ECONS coordinated with local construction firms, awarding a $1.3 million contract for the project and oversaw its execution through completion. The project, originally planned for six to nine months, experienced a two-year delay. However, under renewed management by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Cesar Tapia-Caballero, 378th ECONS contracting officer, negotiations resulted in a $60,000 relief in materials, and the facility was completed and delivered within five months.
“Finalizing the MWR PEB contract was one of the most rewarding parts of my deployment,” said Tapia-Caballero. “This project will provide lasting resilience and a safe place for U.S. service members to recharge. I’m proud of how our contracting team, base experts, local contractors and Royal Saudi Air Force partners worked together to make this possible. It’s a reminder that even behind-the-scenes efforts have a direct impact on the mission and the people who carry it out.”
The contributions that went into the construction of the MWR PEB from the 378th ECES were project planning, construction and inspection management. In coordination with the 378th ECONS and EFSS, ECES executed design reviews, submittal reviews, progress reports, inspections and material delivery scheduling, showcasing the team effort that lead to project completion.
Finally, the 378th EFSS contributed over 300 hours assembling furniture and troubleshooting equipment to facilitate the successful relocation of the MWR facility, allowing for the PEB to host regularly scheduled events with no delay to operations by maintaining daily, 24/7 access to the facility.
“Our operations boost morale, foster camaraderie and strengthen unit cohesion across the installation,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Erika Phillips, 378th EFSS MWR and Fitness Section chief. “24/7 accessibility promotes our physical and mental well-being and combats isolation by providing a location to network and meet new people.”
Across the installation, the 378th AEW primarily relies on war reserve materiel infrastructure, consisting largely of tent structures of varying sizes. The new MWR PEB consolidates the functions of several tents around the logistics support area into a single, space-and energy-efficient facility, reducing overall power demands and enhancing installation resilience. Planned PEBs in the coming years will provide the same benefits for additional work centers.
“This project showed how contracting is truly a team effort,” said Tapia-Caballero. “No single office could have brought this facility across the finish line. We relied on subject matter experts across the base, local partners and host nation coordination. Seeing it all come together highlighted how important teamwork is to mission success in a deployed environment.”
The transformation of temporary assets into permanent infrastructure underscores the Air Force’s enduring posture in the CENTCOM AOR, made possible through the technical and strategic efforts of the 378th ECONS, ECES and EFSS.