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| By Nate Luscombe Staff Writer CHICOPEE Westover Air Reserve Base officially opened their new security forces building last week, which will allow all of the members of the 439th Security Forces Squadron to be in one building. "It's a great leap forward," said Col. Wade Farris, commander of the 439th Airlift Wing. "Now we can have all the new technology. It's a very important building." The previous buildings that housed the Special Forces were built in the World War II era. Congressmen Richard Neal (D-2nd District) and John Olver (D-1st District) also attended the ceremony, and were praised by Farris and others as the catalysts who secured the funding for the building. "The men and women of Westover greatly appreciate the commitment to our military that both Congressmen Olver and Neal have displayed throughout the year," said Farris, who is being deployed to Qatar in a few weeks. At the time of the ribbon cutting, the building was not quite completed. Farris said that with his impending deployment, and the Congressmen's busy schedules, Jan. 17 was the best day for the ceremony. Neal called Westover "critical in the galaxy of the U.S. defense." He added that the base is "important for economics in Chicopee." Olver said he is "proud to support the men and women who serve" at Westover. He told Farris that when he returns from his four-month deployment in Qatar, "the building will be fully furnished and equipped. It will be state of the art." The 439th Security Forces Squadron is in charge of protecting the assets on the base. They control access to the facility at the gates on Westover Road and James Street, and guard the base's biggest asset 16 airplanes. Planning for the new security forces building began in September 2003, said Col. Curtis Thalken of the Corps of Engineers. The 19,000 square-foot, two-story building is designed to blend in with the existing architectural theme around the base. Tech. Sgt. Andrew Biscoe said the 439th had been occupying several buildings all over the base. One of those buildings, which was built in 1940 when the base was constructed, was "too small, and too old," Biscoe said. The building is complete with central heating and air conditioning, and elevator, and a state of the art communication system. Each room will have Internet access. The 140 members of the Security Forces Squadron are not all military. Many are Air Force Reservists, but also includes Department of Defense employees and civilian government workers, Biscoe said. Chicopee Mayor Michael Bissonnette also attended the ceremony. |