Photo By Christopher Ingersoll | U.S. Space Force Col. Kenneth Klock, Space Base Delta 1 commander, drives a 21st Civil...... read more read more
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U.S. Space Force Col. Kenneth Klock, Space Base Delta 1 commander, took a tour of the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron Nov. 21, as part of a larger survey of the squadrons under his command, that support the weapon systems infrastructure for SBD 1.
“Mission growth at Peterson, Schriever and Cheyenne Mountain over the past decade has consumed significant infrastructure capacity,” Klock said. “To address this issue, we are working with Space Operations Command and our stakeholders to identify and prioritize infrastructure investments supporting mission readiness and resiliency. Space Base Delta 1 contains so much of the infrastructure that enables Space Force capabilities, which are vital to national security. It’s important for me to see first-hand and understand at a detailed level how that infrastructure works and its importance to the Space Force.”
With approximately $2.2 billion of the infrastructure under the maintenance and care of the 21st CES, systems like HVAC and wiring are mission critical.
“If you were to make a comparison to the Air Force, in the Space Force, the electrical grid on base is like jet fuel and the HVAC systems are like munitions,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jonathan Herman, 21st CES commander. “Without CES maintaining the infrastructure on this base, there is no Space Force weapons systems.”
Klock began his tour by going up in a bucket truck to look at a parking lot light that needed to be repaired. Part of the repair included consideration of converting the light to an LED system that will use significantly less power, which reduces the base’s overall power footprint to Colorado Springs.
The next stop on the tour was a briefing on snow removal procedures and equipment where Klock coined the team who recently worked the record setting snowstorm earlier in November.
“Here at Peterson SFB, we not only remove the snow from the roads so that our personnel can get to work, but we also clear snow for the runway here that we share with our mission partners and the Colorado Springs Airport,” said Senior Airman Levi Dickinson, 21st CES pavements and equipment supervisor.
The last stop on the tour was the explosive ordnance disposal building, where CES EOD specialists learn and practice the craft that assists the entire state of Colorado with safe disposal of military and other ordnance.
“Our folks can and do get called all over the state when local emergency services contact unexploded ordnance,” said Herman. “EOD is a capability that is of vital importance not only in combat overseas, but for Colorado.”
Klock concluded his immersion tour by underscoring the importance of the 21st CES as a mission critical element to the USSF weapons systems infrastructure. Through snow plowing roads and maintaining HVAC systems seem routine, these jobs are key to enabling Guardians and Airmen to serve and protect our nations interest.
| Date Taken: | 11.21.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.13.2024 14:36 |
| Story ID: | 487462 |
| Location: | COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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