56th Signal Battalion inaugurates new Company Operations Facility

Photo By Edward Rivera | (From left) Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Olvera, Capt. Garret Dodgen, Maj. Gen. K.K. Chinn and Lt. Col. Allen Walker cut the ribbon tied across the Company Operations Facility Feb. 3. The 56th Signal Battalion is a deployable unit that provides Army South and U.S. Southern Command with communications support.  

SAN ANTONIO, TX, UNITED STATES

02.03.2017

Story by Edward Rivera 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was conducted February 3, by Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 56th Signal Battalion to inaugurate the opening of its new Company Operations Facility on Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
The COF is the newest operations facility on Joint Base San Antonio and consolidated the Detachment from three separate facilities; a headquarters building with platoon areas, warehouse training facility and a motor pool into one building complex.
Lt. Col. Allen D. Walker, 56th Signal Battalion commander said the new facility increases operational readiness of HHD, 56th Signal Battalion’s, improves its ability to facilitate communications training in one consolidated location and support U.S. Army South exercises and deployments to the U.S. Army South area of responsibility.
U.S. Army Corps Project Manager, Diana Gonzalez said they had to overcome some obstacles, such as not having an end user, until 56th Signal Battalion was assigned the facility. Carlos Morales, executive officer, 56th Signal Battalion, Louis Esqueda, project manager, 502d Engineering Squadron and Kevin Franks, quality assurance representative U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were some of the team members instrumental in ensuring a successful delivery of the facility.
“We were able to come together as a team and communicate everyone's expectations for this project,” said Gonzalez. “The team arduously worked together to push through the finish line and provide the Soldiers a quality building that better meets their mission's needs.”
The COF is comprised of a 10,000 square-foot building with a 14,000 square-foot covered exterior concrete hardstand for tactical equipment and vehicles. The facility is designed to enable company operations, store supplies, and facilitate activities. An open bay area and hardstand will be used for contingency command post exercises, U.S. Army South Situational Assessment Team training, communications certification, and other training events to maintain readiness.
"You have a workspace indoors and outdoors that allows for storage, areas where Soldiers can ensure their equipment is properly configured and packed to deploy according to the H-hour sequence, and to train on the equipment you're deploying with," said Maj. Gen. K.K. Chinn, Army South commanding general and guest speaker. "To sum it up, Soldiers are going from a cubical city to a facility suited to an operational-deployable unit."

• Date Taken: 02.03.2017
• Date Posted: 02.13.2017 10:47
• Story ID: 223371
• Location: SAN ANTONIO, TX, US