FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. – Saying goodbye is never easy—especially to a longtime facility that stood as a symbol of innovation, collaboration, and growth. But Fairchild Air Force Base is poised for an expansive and critical facility upgrade that will house more than a dozen Active, Guard and Reserve organizations to support the installation’s aerial refueling mission and operational readiness for years to come.
Leadership and representatives across the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, 92nd Operations Group, 141st Air Refueling Wing, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Graco Construction and more, gathered near the project site’s perimeter wall on May 9 to celebrate the groundbreaking milestone of the new Consolidated Flight Base Operations Facility.
With a smile on his face, Col. Chad Cisewski, 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander thanked the crowd for their many years of hard work and support.
“I’ve only been here for three years, and that’s a drop in the bucket compared to some of our civilian teammates who've been planning this project,” said Cisewski. “And I’m really excited, because it’s a big deal for Fairchild and our future of our base operations and mission.”
Slated for completion in early 2027, the $48 million facility will serve as a central hub for 17 distinct organizations on Fairchild AFB operating under the U.S. Air Force’s Total Force Integration model. It is an Air Force strategy to fully integrate Active, Guard and Reserve components and improve operational efficiencies, training and readiness.
Some U.S. Air Force installations like Fairchild Airforce Base are actively expanding their space to integrate several different units in the same area.
Demolition efforts will commence later this summer to make way for the new 62,000 square foot facility and new parking.
This groundbreaking joins other recent USACE Seattle District-led military projects on behalf of the U.S. Army and Air Force: an Information Systems Facility for Joint Base Lewis-McChord and a water treatment plant groundbreaking at Mountain Home Air Force Base.
As the construction and contract manager for the project, there were unique hurdles to clear to ensure that a facility for 17 organizations doing mission-critical work stayed on course.
Seattle District Commander Col. Sanborn acknowledged the project’s complexity and its broader impact.
“This groundbreaking is a testament to our project delivery team member’s ingenuity and dedication in navigating a complex project to deliver a solution that will truly benefit all users,” remarked Sanborn. “Together, we’re enhancing warfighting abilities and strengthening military readiness to better support Fairchild Air Force Base, our military forces, and our Nation.”
The Seattle District will continue working on numerous military construction projects throughout Fiscal Year 2025 and Fiscal Year 2026, as demand for its engineering, design, and contract services increases throughout its military construction area of responsibility of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.