121st Airmen welcome new home

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joel Tilson
  • 121st Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
A ribbon cutting ceremony for a $6.4 million Security Forces/Weather Flight facility was held on April 17, 2010 at the 121st Air Refueling Wing, Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base. The building is an imperative addition to the 121st.

"The new facility will provide much needed space for the Security Forces and Weather Flight Airmen," 121st ARW Commander Brigadier General Tom Botchie said. "The space will greatly expand both these squadrons' mission capabilities."

The 21,137 sq. ft. facility will be home to the 121st Security Forces Squadron and the 164th Weather Flight. The building will include a weapons vault, state of the art central security control room, administrative space, Guardsmen training areas, computer training and testing areas, a weapons cleaning and maintenance room, a Fire Arms Training System room and a mobility equipment area. As the future home of the 164th Weather Flight, the building will include administrative offices, a weather observation area and a mobility storage room.

"This new state of the art facility will allow the 121st Security Forces Squadron and Weather Flight to continue to provide both our Commander in Chief and Governor of the State of Ohio fully qualified mission ready Airmen capable of deploying in a moment's notice to support our nation's war on terror or any state wide emergency," said Lt. Col. Brian Truax, commander of the 121st Security Forces.

"With the additional space and facilities that come with our new building we will be able to monitor and respond to many newly enhanced security systems on the base to better protect our critical resources and personnel. In addition, with this state of the art facility we will be able to continue to provide fully qualified and mission ready security forces airmen to respond to missions from our Commander in Chief as well as the Governor of the State of Ohio for type of natural disaster," said Truax.

The second phase of this project is the renovation of Building 875. This area will be renovated to house the 121st ARW recruiting and retention office and the environmental management section. This phase is scheduled to be completed July 1, 2010.

"The project will allow for geographically separated offices to be more centrally located allowing for a more cohesive campus feel," Botchie said.
Security forces and the weather flight will be moved in by April 21st.

"By Wednesday of this week, we will be moving all of our weapons from our old armory into our new armory and finally have our entire operation under one roof. This state of the art facility is like no other we have seen and represents a signification commitment of tax payer money that we cannot thank our political as well as military leaders enough for. It will be put to good use by both the 121st Security Forces Squadron as well as the 164th Weather Flight," said Truax.