Photo By Airman 1st Class Nicholas Rowe | Senior Airman John Barton, 90th Civil Engineer Squadron structural journeyman poses...... read more read more
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F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. - What appeared to be just a collapsing ceiling quickly proved more severe when two cracked, bowing sections of the original ceiling above the suspended drop ceiling were revealed. A secondary inspection of the attic also uncovered multiple cracked roof trusses, exposing structural damage caused by aging construction materials and a recent sustained high-wind event in Cheyenne.
Senior Airman John Barton, 90th Civil Engineer Squadron structural journeyman, took swift action to assess the damage, document the structural hazards and coordinate with multiple shops to prevent what could soon become a potentially catastrophic collapse.
“When a roof truss falls and is no longer attached to the roof, it is not supporting its portion of the weight of the structure.That weight is then transferred to the trusses on each side,” Barton said.” Roof trusses are engineered to handle expected weights such as heavy snow, but they aren't designed to carry the additional weight of a failed neighboring truss. If not repaired, the damaged trusses could have fallen into the hallways, offices or other occupied spaces.”
Recognizing the severity of the damage, Barton stabilized the compromised structure while coordinating a multi-shop response to assess the extent of the failure and begin repairs. He led four Airmen through the repair effort while coordinating with multiple 90 CES flights and the 90th Communications Squadron to safely isolate affected systems and restore the facility.
“Shortly after work began, concerns were raised that the damaged building materials could contain asbestos, so we stopped work and had the material professionally tested,” said Barton. “After a sample confirmed there was no asbestos present, we went back to work. Had asbestos been detected, we would not have performed the job ourselves. Instead, a certified asbestos abatement contractor would have been brought in to safely remove the hazardous material using specialized protective equipment and containment procedures.”
Since Building 213 is one of F.E. Warren's many historic facilities, repairs also required coordination to preserve the building's historical character while restoring its structural integrity, said Barton. The team carefully balanced emergency stabilization efforts with long-term repair requirements to ensure the facility remained both safe and historically compliant.
Over the course of several months, Barton and his team restored the building's structural integrity, repaired the damaged ceiling system and returned the facility to safe operating conditions, allowing the Civilian Personnel Office to resume normal operations.
This project highlights one of the unique challenges civil engineers here can face while maintaining one of the Air Force's oldest installations. F.E. Warren's historic infrastructure, combined with Wyoming's frequent high winds and harsh weather conditions, requires continuous inspections and proactive maintenance to identify structural deficiencies before they develop into larger hazards.
“It's especially important here because of how old the base is,”said Barton. “With these older buildings, small issues like leaks or cracks can easily go unnoticed. A small crack, like the one we found in the roof truss, can eventually lead to part of the ceiling collapsing. That's why staying on top of routine maintenance and preventive inspections is so important to us.”
Barton’s decisive action and technical expertise during a critical moment like this one not only helped prevent a potentially catastrophic structural failure, but protected F.E. Warren’s most valuable asset–its people.
| Date Taken: | 07.09.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.19.2026 12:58 |
| Story ID: | 572013 |
| Location: | CHEYENNE, WYOMING, US |
| Web Views: | 85 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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