The Air Force is known for breaking barriers and making history, yet it’s also in the business of preserving history. This is where members of the 419th Civil Engineer Squadron bring leverage their skill sets to maintain the Air Force’s legacy.
On Aug. 4-7, 2022, 58 Reservists volunteered to provide much needed repairs to the Wendover Compound at the Historic Wendover Airfield. While the compound is still owned by Hill Air Force Base, it is often used by the Civil Air Patrol for cadet camps, search and rescue training, and flight training.
“These kids are going to be taking over for us after we retire,” said Senior Master Sgt. Ricardo Rivera, 419th CES Infrastructure Superintendent. “So, it’s nice to support the kids in CAP with the facilities upgrades they need to have a safe place to experience the military lifestyle.”
In just 96 hours, Reservists completed several major improvements to the buildings including roof repairs, waterline construction, bathroom modernization, and water filtration installation. An effort that culminated in the movement of 30 tons of debris.
“The services we provide not only support members of CAP but it provides an excellent learning experience for our younger Airmen as well,” said Rivera.
The four-day project allowed CES to fulfill their deployment readiness training, an annual requirement to remain world-wide deployable.
“Being deployment ready is important to us,” said Rivera. “Yet being able to repair those facilities for those cadets means a whole lot, too.”