Dorm improvements continue at Kunsan

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Gustavo Gonzalez
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Construction officially began on another new dormitory for Kunsan Airmen during a ground breaking ceremony here Dec. 19, 2008. 

The ceremony began with a speech from Col. J.D. "Wolf" Harris, 8th Fighter Wing commander. Then Colonel, other base leadership and representatives from the civilian construction company, symbolically dug shovels into a pile of dirt. 

The new dormitory will provide unaccompanied NCOs with modern accomodation. The $16.4 million project is part of the phased implementation plan to replace inadequate dormitories and eliminate the current housing deficit. 

"This building will directly support two of our primary missions." said Colonel Harris. "It's going to allow us to defend our base better, by providing the force protection that we need for our Airmen that are living here. That's important to us. 

"It will also allow us to support additional forces coming here, because while we're looking at a quad concept for how we're going to reside in this building, it's going to allow us the ability to expand and put extra people into it." 

Staff Sgt. Omar Torres, 8th Civil Engineer Squadron construction inspector, believes this new dorm will improve morale on base. 

"They [the old dormitories] have been around for years and I think it will make this base a lot better," he said. 

According to Capt. Steve Vick, 8th Civil Engineer Squadron asset management flight commander, the new dorms will also benefit the Airmen responsible for maintaining it. 

"As you know a lot of our dorms are older around here right now and the infrastructure is not in the greatest condition," said Captain Vick. "It takes up a lot of our CE manpower to maintain those and keep them going. That affects the residents. Every now and then they will have their air, their water will go out, their hot water, so getting a new dorm will alleviate a lot of those issues."

Unlike a typical ground breaking ceremonies that take place at installations around the world, this one also included a traditional Korean ceremony. 

"[The ceremony] blesses the project and promotes the safety and well being of the people that work on the project so the was interesting to see," said Captain Vick. 

Apart from benefiting Airman and Soldiers on base, the construction of the new dormitories also benefits the Kunsan community. 

"It's a big local partnership." said Captain Vick. "We bring in local Korean National companies, it kicks money back to their economy and it's a great hand-in-hand relationship. They come on and build really great facilities for us and we are happy to take them over and own and operate them." 

The new 160 room dormitory is scheduled for completion in July 2010.