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Tinker, community celebrate TAC partnership

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  • By Brandice Armstrong
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., --  Prominent Air Force, Tinker, state and community leaders participated in an Oct. 23 ceremony celebrating the Tinker Aerospace Complex lease signing.

"Today we have a special and happy opportunity to formally inaugurate the Tinker Aerospace Complex," said Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley. "This represents a tremendous partnership between the Air Force, Tinker Air Force Base and the state of Oklahoma, and of course Oklahoma County. 

This past spring, Oklahoma County purchased the 430-acre property, which formerly belonged to General Motors. Then in late September approximately 250 people attended the ceremony where County commissioners celebrated the signing of the property lease to the Air Force. 

"For the county, a currently vacant facility will once again become the nucleus of productivity," Secretary Donley said. "For the Air Force, we will be able to consolidate functions that are spread out across several buildings here at the [Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center], while enhancing the quality of the facilities in which workers are housed, and improving the working conditions of those who are doing the work on the front line of depot maintenance." 

Over the next five years, the Air Force is expected to spend an estimated $50 to $100 million in renovations and improvements, including the removal of overhead assembly lines. When finished, the Air Force will have about 1 million square feet of industrial space. 

The complex will house some of the 76th Maintenance Wing operations and other Department of Defense workloads. The first workload, the TF33 engine and sheet metal work, is estimated to move into the TAC by summer 2009, Tinker officials said. 

After moving into the TAC, the Air Force will demolish substandard facilities, or an area equating 1.1 million square feet. Remaining vacant space will likely be used for partnerships with the local community and industry, Tinker officials said. 

"It's no surprise to me that we're here today, even though this has been a long, hard-fought battle by so many, to celebrate this," said Lt. Gen. Terry Gabreski, Air Force Materiel Command vice commander at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, but was twice stationed at Tinker. 

General Gabreski said Tinker has a long-standing relationship with the community, dating back to 1941 when the Oklahoma Industries Authority purchased land and sold it to the U.S. government for "$1 and other considerations." The land would be later known as Tinker Air Force Base. 

Maj. Gen. Loren Reno, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center commander, said by allowing Tinker to lease, the Air Force will continue to prosper and meet its mission. 

"Phenomenal people living in a phenomenal community delivering phenomenal support to the warfighter - that's what we're about," General Reno said. "One of our strategic goals is to secure the right workload and lean and transform the ALC. What you see here helps us to do exactly that." 

The GM plant, which closed in September 2006, has seven buildings, totaling more than 3.8 million square feet. 

In May, Oklahoma County voters passed a $54 million bond issue to allow county officials to purchase the campus, and the state donated $10 million, which reduced the bond to $44 million. Oklahoma County commissioners paid $54 million for the plant and leased it to Tinker. 

Ray Vaughn, Oklahoma County District 3 commissioner, said although it was a difficult time when the GM plant closed, he's happy the county can accommodate Tinker and its personnel with a better facility. He also said he's glad that through the lease signing the county can better support the economy. 

Just before the ceremony drew to a close, Mr. Vaughn presented Secretary Donley with a symbolic, over-sized antique key, representing the Air Force as the new tenant.