Eighth Air Force moves into new headquarters

by Airman 1st Class Benjamin Raughton
2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs

7/2/2014 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- The Mighty Eighth Air Force held a grand opening ceremony for its new headquarters here July 2.

The newly-renovated 77,000 square foot facility will House Eighth Air Force staff, Task Force 204, 608th Air Operations Center, and more.

Prior to the ribbon-cutting, Major General Scott Vander Hamm, Eighth Air Force commander, thanked the local community for their support of the Eighth Air Force family.

"Our distinguished visitors represent our long-term relationship with Shreveport and Bossier City that makes the Eighth Air Force successful," he said. "You make it a home for us and a home for our Airmen and their families."

The new headquarters building is a historic three-story administrative facility with interior renovations to include rearrangement of interior walls, finishes, stairways, plumbing, communications, electrical systems and more.

The renovation project also upgraded the structure to meet security requirements and incorporated green energy objectives by addressing site design and other factors.

"It's a state-of-the-art building," Vander Hamm said. "The architects and engineers deserve a great deal of thanks, and I thank them for getting us to where we are today."

Since its establishment in 1942, the Eighth Air Force headquarters has moved multiple times, making its most recent residency on Barksdale in 1975.

"We have found a wonderful home here with strong support from the community," he said.

The headquarters has French colonial revival architecture, matching it with other historic buildings and homes around Barksdale. In 1992, the building was added to the National Historical registry.

"I believe we have an extremely bright future," Vander Hamm said. "This new building is a reminder of our heritage."