752 AMXS opens new building with ribbon cutting Published Nov. 21, 2009 By Megan Just 452 AMW Public Affairs MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. -- Team March members recently gathered for the 752nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron's ribbon cutting ceremony that signaled the opening of their new headquarters. The opening was a milestone event for the KC-135 maintenance squadron, which has been without a permanent home for many years. "It's been a long wait, but when you get in there, you're going to see it was worth it," said Maintenance Group Commander Col. Robert Stormes during his opening remarks. Brig. Gen. James Melin, Staff Sgt. Aaron Stewart and Colonel Stormes cut the red ribbon at the building's flight line entrance with a pair of oversized scissors, then encouraged the crowd to come inside for refreshments and a tour. The new maintenance squadron building is located on the flight line side of Graeber Avenue. The $2.4 million project left the exterior of the historic March hangar intact while completely renovating the interior. "I'm very satisfied with the building, the space and the equipment we've received. Besides workspaces, we have really good break rooms as personal space," said Colonel Stormes. The new space will allow the unit to completely integrate with the 130 active duty maintainers who will arrive in April. The maintainers are part of the 250-person 'active associate' active duty unit who will be administratively attached to Fairchild AFB in Washington while working operationally with March ARB. In the active associate relationship, the active duty component contributes manpower; the Reserve component contributes the flight line and planes. Capt. Glenn Baker, the squadron's senior Air Reserve Technician, said the new building will improve quality of life, reduce distractions and make a big difference once the active duty Airmen arrive. "You want to put your best foot forward. Perception is everything," he said. Colonel Stormes said that providing a new building for the maintainers is closely tied to the Maintenance Group's motto: world class maintainers, world class leaders. "It's who we are and what we want to be," he said. 752nd Maintenance Squadron Superintendent Chief Master Sgt. Young was impressed at the large number of Team March members who attended the ribbon cutting. "I think they realize what these guys have been going through without a permanent home for the last seven years," Chief Young said. "We needed this." Chief Young, who has been a maintainer for 31 years, says this will be the first time he's ever worked in a brand-new facility. He said the new building--with ample lockers for personal gear, showers and uncrowded work spaces--and will be good for morale. "Who can complain about nice, new facilities?" he asked. Several of the members of the maintenance squadron can. A group of Airmen picking desks in a future crew chief bay joked they might get lost inside the building without a map. To them, the building feels enormous, compared to the cramped quarters inside the old firehouse, where the squadron had been located since 2005. Even the Senior ART joked about the size of the new building. "I'm going to need a PA system," Captain Baker said. The squadron hopes to move the flight line entry control point next to their building, which will mean the aircraft will be located right outside the back door. "Our planes will be right here instead of having to drive a mile down the ramp. It cuts our response time greatly," said Master Sgt. Christopher Cholewiak. The ribbon cutting event was the first time some of the maintainers had seen their new building. "Out of all the active duty bases I've ever been to, this is the best I've ever seen, especially for 135s," said Staff Sgt. Mark Gomez.