Photo By Louis Velasco | Officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Air Force and contractor...... read more read more
Nestled between the high plains and Rocky Mountains, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) leaders celebrated a project groundbreaking May 28, 2026 that will serve as the “gateway” for future modernization efforts to the installation’s Minuteman III ICBM arsenal.
Known officially as the Commercial Entrance Control Facility (CECF), the new $26 million commercial gate has a simple but strategic purpose: enable easier and direct access for contractors and heavy construction machinery to Sentinel-related construction sites around the installation.
The facility supports nearly $1 billion in future project work by providing a modern, secure and efficient gateway for the influx of personnel, equipment and materials required to upgrade and revitalize the nation’s ICBM arsenal from the aging Minuteman III to Sentinel ICBMs — critical for national defense and threat deterrence.
“We’re establishing, in a visible way, to the nation and to the community that we’re still committed to this mission,” said Air Force Lt. Col. John Mayer, Sentinel Task Force Detachment 11 commander. “This gate is going to be manned by (Air Force Security Forces) Defenders who are not yet born, and through this gate will be missileers and operators headed out to the missile field through the second half of the 21st century.”
Violet Albright, the Seattle District’s chief of construction, echoed the project’s importance and necessary collaboration, emphasizing the project is a testament to what multiple organizations can achieve together. “A project of this magnitude and importance is never the work of a single entity. It is born from a powerful partnership, and that is what we are truly celebrating today,” Albright said. “This facility embodies the spirit of a 'team of teams,' uniting civilian expertise with military precision. The Corps of Engineers brings our legacy of engineering excellence, but it is the seamless integration with the Air Force's operational requirements that turns a design into a strategic asset.”
For USACE Seattle District, managing the project is a testament to the organization’s role as a trusted partner in national defense and its commitment to overcoming complex challenges to protect the nation.
“People involved in this project often refer to it as the gateway to Sentinel,” said Hadi Mir Sadeghi, the Seattle District project manager who guided the project to this milestone. “It’s the first step toward getting this high-visibility program successfully executed and allowing the installation to support the overall program.”
The project underscores USACE’s robust military construction program, where select “full service” districts simultaneously manage civil works, navigation and regulatory missions, while also working alongside U.S. Army and Air Force customers.
Seattle District’s military construction program bolsters national defense, deterrence, warfighting abilities and service member quality of life across Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. But finishing a construction project isn’t the only endgame.
“It’s important for the public to know that USACE’s role isn’t just construction; it’s stewardship,” Mir Sadeghi said. “We make sure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, the infrastructure meets federal standards and the facilities we deliver enhance the mission and readiness for decades to come.”
Gateway to Sentinel
The Sentinel program will bring a steady stream of contractors, materials and construction traffic to Malmstrom over the next decade – this could overwhelm the installation’s existing gates that were not designed to handle such a sustained, high-volume construction traffic.
“Without this project, the base would face significant security vulnerability, traffic congestion and slower inspections,” Mir Sadeghi explained. “This project is critical because it strengthens Malmstrom’s ability to detect, deter and prevent threats before they ever reach the installation.”
The new CECF is being built on a separate, dedicated campus, allowing Sentinel-related traffic to no longer impact the daily flow of service members, families and civilians who live and work on base. This separation is key to ensuring installation security as well as limiting the impact to the thousands of Airmen, civilian workers, retirees and others who travel daily through the main entry gate.
“Simply put, it’s going to be an express gate for the Sentinel contractors,” Mir Sadeghi said. That direct access is not just a matter of convenience; it’s a matter of mission readiness. The gate’s construction ultimately helps highly critical construction activities commence on time without impeding other construction timelines.
Working in Tandem
Reaching the groundbreaking milestone wasn’t a small task, requiring thorough collaboration between numerous military, federal and local entities.
The CECF demonstrates how USACE leverages the strengths of multiple districts to deliver for the nation’s security. USACE Omaha District, with its deep expertise in Sentinel facility standards, led the design, while Seattle District guides the project through contract solicitation and award, construction management and quality assurance.
“The Air Force gets the very best from USACE — design excellence from one district and dedicated project delivery from another,” Mir Sadeghi said. “But behind the scenes, it requires extensive technical coordination, shared reviews and synchronized schedules across both districts.”
Government projects often have their own nuances and complexities that are different from private work. The number of subject matter experts from across the development teams brought a knack for solving significant challenges that could have derailed the project timeline. For example, Seattle District’s Project Delivery Team navigated through a sometimes-time-consuming process called “Above Threshold Reprogramming."
In simple terms: A contractor’s cost estimates came in higher than anticipated, triggering a request for additional funding and ensuring Congress was notified. It could have delayed the project contract award by months.
“It required a lot of time, but our team provided all the information our Air Force partners needed to secure those additional funds,” Mir Sadeghi said. “We awarded it [the construction contract] just before our schedule drastically slipped.”
For Mir Sadeghi, navigating the hurdles of a high-visibility project defined by its pace, scale and multi-agency oversight is a point of professional and personal pride.
“I’m proud of the teamwork,” he said. “This has been a collaborative effort involving our district, the Omaha District, Air Force Global Strike Command, the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, the 341st Missile Wing and so many others. Seeing these organizations work together toward a shared mission is something that I’m honored to be part of.”
What Comes Next
With the groundbreaking complete, the contractor is expected to mobilize equipment to the project site early this summer, and the public will soon see visible progress. Initial work will focus on site fencing, utility preparations and foundation work for the gate’s inspection areas.
When tentatively complete in mid-2028, the CECF will not only enhance security at Malmstrom but also enable future Sentinel projects to proceed on schedule, ensuring the modernization of our nation’s defense can continue unimpeded.
It stands as a physical representation of USACE’s promise: to build strong and deliver the critical infrastructure that keeps America safe.
| Date Taken: | 06.17.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2026 15:16 |
| Story ID: | 568049 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 33 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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