Published: March 22, 2006 03:27 pm            

Benson has sights set on Vance’s future

If history is any indication, Col. Bryan Benson’s tenure as commander of the 71st Flying Training Wing at Vance Air Force Base will end later this year.

Col. A.J. Stewart was Vance’s commander for 16 months, while Col. Michael Callan commanded the 71st for 18 months. Benson took over as Vance’s commander Feb. 2, 2005.

But as long as he is in his present post, Benson will remain focused on how Vance will conduct its mission long after he has moved on.

“I very much take this personally,” said Benson. “There’s nothing that I do on this installation that is more strategic in its nature, and has more strategic effect for our Air Force, than how I perceive this base to look and function in the next 25 years.”

The blueprint for that future is what is known as “Vance Vision 2030,” released in January. This plan is an update to “Vance Vision 2025,” released in 2003 under Stewart’s tenure.

Among the 2025 projects already complete or about to be completed are the T-1 maintenance hanger, the renovation of Elam Road (the main access road for the flight line), the first phase of the military housing program, the extension of Gott Road and the consolidated logistics center.

“Right now I’m living off the successes of the new houses that we have, the Gott Road extension, the new T-1 hanger, those all were thought of by folks like (former wing commander) Maj. Gen. (Edward R.) Ellis and A.J. Stewart after him. Those are all their successes that are just now coming to fruition, based on their vision. I’m simply trying to keep the vision modernized and incorporate the latest strategic influences.”

Vance Vision 2025 set goals for $230 million in construction projects at Vance. The 2030 plan includes all the 2025 improvements, plus changes necessitated by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure round. The base not only survived the 2005 BRAC round but will gain 99 jobs and 26 new aircraft from Moody AFB in Valdosta, Ga. The addition of the aircraft will require construction of new apron and ramp space.

In addition, Vance will become the home of an $8.7 million Armed Forces Reserve Center. The commission voted to close 53 state National Guard armories and create seven reserve centers, construction of which is supposed to begin in 2009.

“We’re looking at over $70 million just for BRAC alone, through the 2010, 2011 time period,” said Benson.

Plans are to submit a request to Congress this year for some $15.7 million to build a new squadron facility, as well as to improve the three existing facilities. Some $4 million in BRAC funding already has been earmarked for this work. Vance, Benson said, is running out of space for squadron operations, and is getting ready to add new undergraduate students, as well as those going into Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals.

“We’re accelerating this project by one year to tie in with BRAC money,” said Benson. “If we do that we save the taxpayer $1.2 million.”

The reserve center will be located on the south side of the base. This will require a new south entrance, as well as improvements to Wheat Capital Road, which runs to the south of the base.

“It’s im-portant that we develop Wheat Capital Road and we make that our base entry of choice for the Army,” said Benson.

March will see the opening of the $15 million consolidated logistics center, incorporating operations formerly held in several other buildings, many of them of World War II vintage.

The work to relocate Vance’s main gate is in the design stage and is projected to be completed in 2008.

Bids will be sought later this year for the privatization of Vance’s military family housing. Developers will bid on building 175 new base homes, which then will be leased to the winning bidder for 50 years, along with the 54 existing new homes. The developer then would charge military tenants rent, which will be paid for by the Air Force.

Off the base, Kegelman Auxiliary Field near Cherokee will be closed for about six months and the runways rebuilt at a cost of $6.2 million. While Kegelman is down, operations will be moved to the municipal airport in Perry.

Projects on the not-too-distant horizon are a new fuels maintenance hanger, a new control tower and a consolidated family support center, education center and library.

“That’s our No. 1 quality-of-life project,” said Benson, “to get our education center and library up and running.”

Other projects outlined in Vance Vision 2030 include a new parallel runway, a new security forces squadron facility and a new medical clinic.

“It’s important to me that I spend a lot of time and energy on this, because it’s going to reflect Vance Air Force Base and its facilities for 50 or 60 years to come,” said Benson.