SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The 557th Red Horse Squadron, 1st Expeditionary Civil Engineer Group, is building a new, permanent power production facility on The Rock to enhance power generation operations and increase mission effectiveness.
Construction on the $350,000 facility is slated to be complete around the first part of May and will be utilized and maintained by the 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron.
The new facility will replace three older, temporary facilities that were intended to be a quick solution for secondary power for The Rock. Those temporary facilities have provided back-up power to the base and workspaces for power production Airmen for more than 14 years.
According to Senior Master Sgt. Mark Kessler, superintendent of power production operations for the 386th ECES, the rapidly erectable structure will be a huge quality of life boost for his Airmen.
"These [temporary facilities] were intended to be an expedient means to establish a work area; they were never intended to be permanent," he said. "They are hard to heat and cool, allow dust and sand in, and leak when it rains."
The new facility will offer a much larger working space to maintain and reconstitute assets and will provide a more comfortable working environment.
"Power production is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by 16 personnel working out of the small shelters," said Kessler. "The new facility, a K-Span, will increase our square footage, better enhance tool control and allow all tech orders to be located in a central location. In addition, power production troops will have indoor restrooms in the new facility."
Master Sgt. Kevin Bright is the project manager and says their team, based out of Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, was called in because they are trained and equipped to construct this type of shelter.
"K-Span construction is one of the many special capabilities Red Horse members are trained on. This training allows us to enhance the working environment and living conditions of Airmen throughout the area of responsibility," he said.
According to Kessler, the initial requirement and design concept for the facility was established in Feb. 2013. Host nation approval for the project was obtained in Sept. and construction began on Dec. 2.
Bright is pleased with the progress and the coordination between agencies.
"I would like to personally thank the 386th ECES for their support throughout the construction process; their assistance has been an invaluable asset and has greatly enhanced our ability to get the job done," he said. "I would also like to extend my appreciation to the Red Horse members working on the K-Span project. Their hard work and professionalism are a testament to the proud tradition of the Red Horse community."