Courtesy Photo | Bridge 4341 aboard Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina sits...... read more read more
Members of Officer in Charge of Construction (OICC) Florence said farewell to teammates of Resident in Charge of Construction (ROICC) Cherry Point during a small, informal disestablishment and recognition ceremony at Hancock Lodge, held onboard Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina, Aug. 22.
“I was in Eastern North Carolina during Hurricane Florence and witnessed the devastation throughout the area, specifically on Camp Lejeune and Cherry Point,” said Brian Statler, former supervisory general engineer for ROICC Cherry Point, now assigned to Cherry Point Facilities Engineering and Acquisitions Division (FEAD). “The dedication and commitment of OICC Florence and ROICC Cherry Point employees was top-notch. We worked swiftly and effectively to repair more than 200 damaged facilities to get the air station operational.”
ROICC’s disestablishment is just one part of the overall disestablishment of OICC Florence, which will include transferring any remaining projects back to the individual installations at the end of the five-year period. OICC Florence, which included ROICC Cherry Point, was originally deployed as a five-year strategic plan for design, acquisition, and construction execution of Hurricane Florence repair projects and MILCON projects for the Marine Corps (MC) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program onboard NC-based MC installations.
Many of ROICC Cherry Point’s personnel will remain with Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) through reassignment within the installation’s FEAD, where they will continue to support any unfinished projects for the unit. OICC Florence, which established on July 28, 2020, has also started phases of their separate disestablishment, scheduled for summer 2025.
“The transition took a lot of work to determine how to reassign more than 20 employees from the ROICC to the FEAD,” said Navy Lt. Michael Scaplehorn, former Cherry Point ROICC, and now current FEAD director. “With some existing military construction (MILCON) projects transferring to the FEAD, the most important goal was to retain the skills, expertise, and incredible talent we had with the ROICC to finish and merge them into the existing FEAD to finish the projects.”
OICC Florence’s mission includes seven packages, five at Camp Lejeune, one at New River Air Station and one at Cherry Point. During ROICC Cherry Point’s existence the unit was responsible for MILCON Package 1, which included five Hurricane Florence recovery projects and valued at $148 million and upon completion, will replace seven facilities on Cherry Point damaged by Hurricane Florence. Contracting partners for the Cherry Point package include Whiting and Turner Contracting Company and the Walsh Group.
“We have some of NAVFAC and the Marine’s best folks dedicated to the mission here at Cherry Point and I am honored to be part of the team and helping build the enduring legacy of naval aviation in coastal Carolina,” said Scaplehorn.
Upon completion of the package, Cherry Point will have a new BT-11 Range Operations Center, Station Academic Facility/Auditorium, new Fire and Emergency Services building, motor transport and communications shop for Marine Wing Support Squadron and new headquarters buildings for Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron and Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2.
“OICC Florence’s Cherry Point team has done an outstanding job supporting the Marine Corps’ recovery from Hurricane Florence and the initial standup of fifth generation F-35 squadrons at MCAS Cherry Point,” said Navy Capt. David Jayne, commander for OICC Florence. “While transitions are never easy, I’m confident they will continue to excel and to complete the remaining projects assigned to them under NAVFAC, which will provide critical operational capabilities.”
The F-35 package, was a collaborative effort for members of ROICC Cherry Point, and contracting partners, to bring the airfield within the security compliance required for the F-35 program. The project included: demolition of existing structures, addition of security fencing, patrol roads, vehicle gates, and utilities related to deliver increased security for portions of the airfield. Two new aircraft maintenance hangers, a new simulator, and a new air traffic control tower were also included in the project. The F-35 construction package, which totaled more than $300 million, included three projects: P-199 F-35 Aircraft Maintenance Hangar, P-235 Flight Line Utility Modernization, and the P-204 F35 Training and Simulator Facility.
“There’s no better place for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program than at the largest Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point,” said Scaplehorn. “The F-35 is vital to the future of Marine Corps aviation, and Cherry Point provides necessary training areas, air space and depot level maintenance to sustain the program. We were honored to be part of developing these capabilities.”
Members of Cherry Point FEAD, and contracting partners, will continue to work together to complete the unfinished and future projects.
For updates and information about OICC Florence, visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/oiccflorence or our website: https://atlantic.navfac.navy.mil/NAVFAC-Worldwide/OICC-Florence/.
| Date Taken: | 10.02.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.03.2024 16:01 |
| Story ID: | 482478 |
| Location: | HAVELOCK , NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 254 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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