Air Guard Breaks Ground on New Center

Air Guard Breaks Ground on New Center
Air Force Print News | November 20, 2007

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. -- Officials broke ground on a $52 million Air National Guard Readiness Center expansion here Nov. 19.

When completed, the four-story complex will unite the existing ANGRC here with its Air Guard offices in Arlington, Va.

Lt. Gen. Craig R. McKinley, Air National Guard director, said the expansion on Andrews reflects new realities in force protection since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

"The reason we are here today is that, after 9/11, force protection became a major issue, especially in the city," he said. He explained that the Base Realignment and Closure commission moved government offices at risk of terrorist attack away from downtown areas.

An added benefit from the project is that the Air Guard will have all nine of its directorate offices under one roof. The directorates serve the Air Guard's day-to-day operations of 88 flying units and more than 200 geographically-separated units.

"It will give the commander of the ANGRC a chance to have a span of control over all the people that work for him, and it will streamline and make more orderly the process of command," McKinley said.


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