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News

460th CES builds a city for Marines

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Luke W. Nowakowski
  • 460th Space Wing Public Affairs
BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  The 460th Civil Engineer Squadron constructed a tent city for incoming Combat Logistics Battalion-453 Marine Reserve units who are completing their annual training June 3 on Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.

"Around Buckley, as far as I understand, we've never really done this," said 2nd Lt. Garrick Thompson, 460th Civil Engineer Squadron officer in charge of service contracts. "This was a good opportunity that we really couldn't pass up. It's an important skill to train up on because we do this overseas on occasion."

The tent city, which included 10 tents, complete with electrical and air conditioning, took the 460th CES 11 hours to complete. Every shop had a hand in the construction and set up of the tents.

"A lot goes in to a project like this, said 1st Lt. Brian Kass, 460th CES installation management flight deputy. "It begins months in advance with site determination and acquiring asset. The site needs to be marked, the tents have to be erected, power needs to be supplied, water needs to be available and heating, and ventilation and air conditioning units need to be running. After that, it's our job to ensure those assets are maintained."

The construction of a tent city was a significant undertaking for the squadron and mimicked their overseas operations.

"This is actually the biggest (exercise of its kind) we've done," said Staff Sgt. Quan Llewellyn, 460th CES electrical journeyman. "We've never done such a large scale. Ten tents, AC units, lighting...this is the biggest project we've done in terms of deployment training."

For some in the unit, it was the first time they were able to participate in a project like this and it gave them valuable insight into a job they'd typically be doing in a deployed location.

"I think for the guys who have been doing it for a long time, it was a bit of a chore but for our young guys it was a lot of fun," Thompson said. "We were out there working hard. In the end it really is important training for us because we don't get to do it all that often."

The 460th CES has many capabilities and is vital to Buckley AFB and the mission abroad. The construction of a tent city was just one example of what the CES can do.

"Work like this is CES's bread and butter so we love these types of opportunities," Kass said. "We love building stuff and working hard."

 

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