The Mighty Eighth comes back home

Lt. Col. Aaron Ullman, 8th Air Force air, space and logistics operations deputy director, re-installs his computer after moving to a temporary location on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Feb. 11. The 8th AF moved back to the base to begin building a more responsive war fighting team with Air Force Global Strike Command and Barksdale's host units. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jason McCasland)

The Mighty Eighth comes back home

Airman 1st Class Andrew Alexander, 608th Air Communications Squadron client systems technician, explains the difference between a fiber optic connection and Category 5 network connection on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Feb. 11. The 8th Air Force moved back on base, so all computer equipment and telephone systems had to be reconnected to the network for interconnectivity between Air Force Global Strike Command and the 2nd Bomb Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jason McCasland)

The Mighty Eighth comes back home

Staff Sgt. Thomas Sylvester, 8th Air Force NCO in-charge Civil Engineering, checks a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration duct on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Feb. 11. The HVAC systems delivers hot and cold air to each office to ensure that computer systems and electronics can operate without failing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jason McCasland)

They're back; The Mighty Eighth comes back home

Published Feb. 13, 2013
By Staff Sgt. Jason McCasland
Staff Sgt. Jason McCasland

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- With the 8th Air Force headquarters renovation nearing completion the 8th Air Force moves back here to a temporary location.

The move back to base will bring a faster response and enhanced relationship with its mission partners at Global Strike Command and 2nd Bomb Wing.

"With us [8th Air Force] moving back to base we can build on the collaboration between Air Force Global Strike Command staff, the 608th Air Operations Center and our other mission partners," said Lt. Col. Deborah Dusek, 8th Air Force A6 Director. "This move will help facilitate command and control relationships between the Joint Force Air Component Commander's 8th Air Force Staff and his Air Operations Center."

The 8th AF moved off base in 2010 while the new headquarters building was being renovated to accommodate the different security protocols that the staff required. The renovations are scheduled to be finished by the beginning of 2014, and the 8th AF will begin a phased move starting in January 2014.

"We've ensured that the temporary building that we are moving into will provide all communications connectivity required to support global strike missions while our final offices are being completed sometime in early next year," said Maj. Kenneth Bourque, 8th AF A6 Deputy Director. "While we are at this new location we can become a more responsive war fighting team to complete our mission of safeguarding America's interests with deterrence and global combat power."

Although the final move into the new building will not be until early next year, the temporary location will reinforce the Mighty Eight's ability to deploy forces and engage enemy threats both from home station or forward positioned, anywhere and at any time.

"We would not have been able to make a smooth transition to the temporary building without the help of 2nd Civil Engineering Squadron, 2nd Communications Squadron and our other mission partners that got us set up," said Dusek. "They were extremely helpful during the planning and execution phases ensuring the temporary building met all of 8th AF's mission requirements, without them the move wouldn't have gone as smooth as it did."