Photo By Staff Sgt. Armando Limon | Lt. Col. Michael R. Binetti, commander, 29th Brigade Engineer Battalion, (first...... read more read more
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - A ground blessing and maile lei untying ceremony was held for the new South Range Road Project (SRRP) site, here, Sept. 15.
The nearly $128 million contract for the project that began November 2011 was completed by the spring of 2015.
In attendance were the numerous leaders and project stakeholders from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), civilian contractors, Department of Public Works, and tenant units of the SRRP.
“Who could envision that one day this site would be one of the largest projects awarded by the Honolulu District Corps of Engineers to construct 22 vertical buildings,” said Lt. Col. Michael R. Binetti, commander, 29th Brigade Engineer Battalion, one of the facility tenants.
The area had been initially slated for a military police higher headquarters detachment, engineer brigade unit operations and an explosive ordnance disposal unit, but a change of plans had other units occupy the grounds.
“This site is now home to the 500th Military Intelligence Brigade, 29th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 19th Military Police Battalion (CID) and Alpha Company, 249th Prime Power Battalion,” Binetti said.
Brig. Gen. Jeffrey L. Milhorn, commanding general and division engineer for the Pacific Ocean Division, USACE, was in attendance and presented his own remarks.
“Welcome to your new home,” Milhorn said. “It is an honor to represent the Army Corps of Engineers today in celebrating the occupation of these outstanding facilities which have been occupied for several months now.”
He went on further to explain that what once had been pineapple fields and rugged terrain lacking basic utilities, took considerable effort for the USACE and civilian construction contractors to overcome.
“What were four separate projects were consolidated into one to take into consideration the campus design that stands today,” he said.
The effect of unit and Soldier well-being was taken in deliberation for the new campus.
“These facilities will have a significant impact and I think they’ve already have on the quality of life for some of the Soldiers who now occupy them,” he said. “They also contribute to improving unit training and readiness, increased productively and higher morale.”
The protection of the environment was also an important component during the planning and construction at the site.
“What is important locally is protecting the aina, or the local lands,” he said. “Especially, where we have vital and important cultural aspects that need protecting. We take great effort to ensure that they are.”
After Milhorn had concluded his remarks, Rev. Sherman Thompson asked for the leaders, project stakeholders and tenant unit commanders to stand before the maile lei so he could give his blessing.
Thompson asked them to untie the maile lei once the blessing was given to officially christen the South Range Road.
| Date Taken: | 09.15.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 09.25.2015 21:02 |
| Story ID: | 177304 |
| Location: | SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 85 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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