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Triad: Barksdale’s problem solvers

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class William Pugh
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs

Unending facility maintenance, unpredictable weather and uncompromising supply demands constantly afflict Barksdale Air Force Base. The Triad- 2nd Contracting, Civil Engineering, and Finance squadrons- have been at the forefront of dealing with these issues.

Barksdale is one of the larger Air Force installations in the United States, and the Barksdale Triad is responsible for maintaining, supplying, and coordinating construction across all of it’s 22,000 acres.

It’s the teamwork of the squadrons that tie them together and enable them to contend with any problem facing Barksdale.

“The mission relies on each squadron in the Triad doing their piece to bring it all together,” said Tech. Sgt. Hutchins, 2nd Contracting Squadron construction flight NCOIC.

The process starts with mission partners. Once they report issues, engineers assess the situation, then build a budget detailing a solution. Once that budget is approved by the finance squadron, they issue the necessary funds and the contracting squadron arranges a partnership with an agency that can provide the required service.

“Last fiscal year we amassed a total of $43.4 million dollars,” Said Hutchins. “That was used for all the construction, services and commodities on Barksdale.”

Of that 43 million total, 17 million was spent on construction and infrastructure.

“We have to keep our infrastructure up”, said Allen Spillers, 2nd Civil Engineering Squadron project management chief. “That's our mission critical piece. Without it, we can’t ensure effective deterrence operations worldwide.”

17 million in upgrades and repairs, a chaotic snowstorm and the stresses of the Covid-19 pandemic have made for a difficult year for Striker Nation. The diligent work provided by the Triad has enabled Barksdale to take these situations in stride.

In an ever moving Air Force, innovation, supplies and construction needs will always require management. To continue the forward momentum, the triad will go the extra mile to ensure Airmen have dorms to live in, pilots have a runway to land on and Team Barksdale has an installation to work at.