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Ribbon cutting marks 8th Air Force move to Bossier City

  • Published
  • By Maj. Richard Komurek
  • 8th Air Force Public Affairs
BOSSIER CITY, La. --  Eighth Air Force conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony with local and state officials March 29 to mark the temporary relocation of 8th Air Force Headquarters to the Cyber Innovation Center in Bossier City, La..

The move is the result of a need to relocate and renovate facilities at Barksdale with the arrival of Air Force Global Strike Command. The new command is slated to bring nearly 1,000 new people to work at the base.

To facilitate the move, the Air Force has entered into an 18-24 month, $8.5 million lease which provides a capable, safe and secure environment for about 250 members of the 8th Air Force staff while the permanent headquarters location on Barksdale is being renovated.

"The Cyber Innovation Center is a good fit for 8th Air Force and it will make a great temporary home for our staff," said Maj. Gen. Floyd Carpenter, commander of 8th Air Force. "We are fortunate to have such a world-class facility nearby that could accommodate our specialized communication and security needs."

The lease secures 38,052 sq. feet of office space and Air Force personnel will begin moving into the facility in late April or early May, after installation of communications systems. The lease, which satisfied specific Air Force security, communications and timeline requirements, will make 8th Air Force the first tenant in the newly-constructed CIC.

"The Cyber Innovation Center is a logical choice for our temporary relocation," said Col. West Anderson, 8th Air Force Special Advisor. "The Center not only provides Headquarters 8th Air Force with much needed office space while our permanent on base facilities are undergoing extensive renovations, but this facility will provide a specialized infrastructure and a unique set of technical capabilities that will benefit this region well into the future."

The move off-base to Bossier City marks a new chapter in the storied history of 8th Air Force, which was founded in 1942 and has previously been located at eight different locations worldwide. The various locations of 8th Air Force Headquarters, in historical order, have been:

- Langley Field, Va.
- Wycombe Abbey School for Girls, High Wycombe, England
- Okinawa, Japan
- MacDill Field, Fla.
- Fort Worth Army Airfield, Texas
- Westover AFB, Mass.
- Andersen AFB, Guam
- Barksdale AFB, La.
- Cyber Innovation Center (CIC), Bossier City, La.

Speaking to an audience of local civic leaders and state officials, including the Bossier City mayor, two state senators and a congressman, General Carpenter spoke about the significance of the event for the entire community.

"In addition to our relocation off-base, what also makes this a historic event is the continuous support the people of Louisiana have given to Barksdale and our Air Force. In 1926, some of your forefathers had a vision to bring a military airfield to this area and a few short years later, Barksdale Field became a reality," said General Carpenter. "A few years ago, some of you had a vision to build a world-class facility that would distinguish this community as one continuing to look to the future, and here we are today. The installation of the Louisiana Optical Network Initiative, a super-high capacity network with a connection running within feet of the base, is yet another demonstration of the incredible foresight and support this community has provided."