Army National Guard unit to move helos to Fairchild

Published June 9, 2006
By Staff Sgt. Kristian Carter
92nd ARW Public Affairs

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Aircraft and personnel with the Army National Guard aviation support facility #2 are moving from Geiger Field to Fairchild.

The helicopters will be housed in hangar 1001 with offices in building 2090, right next to the hangar, said Army Maj. David Caporicci, Army aviation support facility #2 maintenance officer.

The unit’s mission is to provide aircraft, aircraft support and training for the traditional Guard UH-60 pilots in Washington.

The unit also provides a ready force for when the state responds to emergencies such as fires or floods.

Reasons for the move include the expiration of the lease on the hangar at the airport in 2008, and current vacancies at Fairchild.

Relocating to hangar 1001 will benefit both the survival school and the Army Guard unit. It will probably also lead to a more in-depth working relationship between the Army Guard and the Washington Air National Guard unit at Fairchild, said Major Caporicci.

Everything the unit owns will be transferred to the new facility. Major Caporicci said all they will leave behind is a clean, vacant building.

The move, which was initiated by the Washington military department, started around May 5, said Major Caporicci.

Army Sgt. Shad Stenersen, Army aviation support facility #2 crew chief, who has been coordinating the move, said his primary focus is on preparing the aircraft for relocation.

The nine full-time members of this unit are civil service technicians. They are primarily federal employees, but are also members of the Guard as a condition of employment, said Major Caporicci.

Major Caporicci said the unit is looking forward to working out of the new hangar and developing a better relationship with the agencies on base.

(Editor’s note: This unit’s relocation is independent of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission’s process.)