Travis continues building C-17 infrastructure, other projects

  • Published
  • By Nick DeCicco
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  As lights hang from a line to illuminate one of the building's major hallways, painters spray and coat walls while contractors work to tape cracks in drywall in anticipation of the painters' progress.

At least $20 million worth of C-17-related construction projects are in various stages of completion at Travis.

Also, a renovation of David Grant USAF Medical Center is nearing the end of its first phase.

The jobs are just a handful of numerous building and renovation works in progress at Travis.

Three C-17 projects are expected to be completed before October, according to Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jason Zeda.

Several other projects are about to break ground or awaiting contractual bids.

The C-17 has been part of Travis' mission since 2002, though the first aircraft didn't arrive until August 2006.

"In order to support its mission, a lot of facilities had to be constructed," Commander Zeda said. "These are all to support the C-17 being based here."
Commander Zeda also stated that the largest of the four C-17 projects, a maintenance training facility, is expected to be completed in September.

Other C-17 projects this month include a munitions storage facility, a composite shop, a wheel and tire shop, a two-bay maintenance hangar, work on taxiways and the construction of a short runway designed for training.

By law, the Air Force can't do military construction work, according to Wayne Williams, 60th Civil Engineer Squadron's engineering flight chief. For this reason, the Navy manages most construction projects at Travis and uses contractors for the majority of the work.

"There isn't a preference for where the contractor is based as much as their technical abilities and the cost at which they're willing to do the job," he said. "We try to get the job done for the best cost to the Air Force."

In addition to the C-17 projects, Commander Zeda said the largest job he is managing is the 615th Contingency Response Wing's $17.5 million warehouse.
"The main advantage to this building is that they're close to logistics that does a lot of flights," he said. "They wanted to be co-located."

The Navy also is managing construction of an office for combat arms security, a base-wide electrical upgrade, asphalt and concrete maintenance on runways, demolishing unoccupied homes and construction of an Aerospace Ground Equipment facility.

Though the Navy handles a number of construction projects, the 60th CES supervises much of the renovation work at Travis.

Mr. Williams said improvements to the hospital are just one of many balls in the air for the engineers.

"It's a structural interior design project," Williams said earlier this month. "There are several phases of that. Phase one is in progress right now. It's actually fairly close to being completed. It's a lot of interior upgrades painting walls, we did some work in the cafeteria in there, [as well as on] entryways."

Work began in January on the $3.1 million first phase of the project, which features a remodel of the dining room as well as the north and south entrance reception areas.

Lighting fixtures, carpeting, painting and furniture also were upgraded or changed in multiple areas.

"We're trying to collectively manage a whole lot of things that are all intended to improve Travis and its ability to improve our air mobility mission," Mr. Williams said.

Construction and renovation work at Travis is a never-ending process, he said.

"It's like the guys who paint the Golden Gate Bridge," Williams said. "They start at one end and by the time they get to the other, they're ready to go back and start again because of the way the sea air works on the paint out there. So, there are always improvements that we need to do here."