From wood to brick

Col. (P) Walter Golden, Mack Dove, Maj. Gen. Virgil L. Packett II, Rep. Terry Everett, Col. Scott Larese and Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Felder cut the ribbon on the post's new headquarters building.

A new $10 million headquarters building representing a “modernized” Fort Rucker was presented to the post community during a ribbon cutting ceremony here May 29.
Building 101, a 55,000-square-foot facility located on Novosel Street, replaces Bldg. 114, a World War II-era, 35,700-square-foot wooden building that had served as the post’s headquarters since 1942.

“This new building is truly the kind of headquarters building befitting the home of Army Aviation,” ceremony guest speaker Rep. Terry Everett, R-Rehobeth, said. “It brings me a great deal of pleasure to hand over the keys to this fine facility.”

With the steady hum of helicopters echoing overhead, Maj. Gen. Virgil L. Packett II, U.S. Army Aviation Warfighting Center and Fort Rucker commanding general, celebrated the new headquarters facility and the politicians, Soldiers, contractors, architects and others who made the building a reality.

“It is clearly a great day to be the chief of Army Aviation,” Packett said. “This is a remarkable testament to the progress that we can make in this country.”

Construction on the new three-story headquarters building began in January 2007 and, despite a few weather delays, remained mostly on schedule throughout the entire process, according to Ronald A. Carter, the civil engineer in charge of the headquarters project.

“It was just about getting the right people here when we needed them,” he said.

The new building is home to the post’s Command Group, Garrison staff and supporting directorates. The basement of the facility, which boasts several high-tech features, is home to the Installation Operations Center.

Everett said the new headquarters, like the Soldier Service Center he helped cut the ribbon on 10 years ago, is a “major milestone in the modernization of Fort Rucker.”

“(Bldg. 114) was one of the last major holdovers from the original Camp Rucker,” he said.

Everett, who will retire this year following more than 15 years in Congress, said he still remembers a tour he took of Fort Rucker in 1993.

“One of the things that struck me most (during the tour) was the sheer amount of 50 year old wood on such a vital military installation,” he said.

Once he arrived in Washington, Everett worked to “bring attention to long overlooked priorities” at Fort Rucker including the demolition of many World War II-era buildings that had long since outlived their usefulness.

“We have demolished more than 300 World War II buildings and, with this dedication today, I think the war on (World War II) wood has been won,” he said.

Although the new headquarters will be the last Fort Rucker modernization project completed while Everett is in office, Packett said it will not be the last modernization project to benefit the post.

“Last month, we cut the ribbon on our Unmanned Aerial System Center of Excellence building (and) today we are cutting the ribbon on a new headquarters,” he said. “I can’t wait to see what will happen next month.”