TINKER AFB, Okla. — Southwestern Division Commander, Brig. Gen. Christopher Beck visited Tinker Airforce Base Thursday April 21, taking a final tour of Tulsa District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects on the base.
The visit was kicked off by staff who have worked on the E-3G training facility which will house training simulation for the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System, commonly known as the AWACS. Visiting this project, gave staff the opportunity to discuss the project’s progress while giving him the opportunity to see it firsthand.
Following this project tour, Beck held a town hall meeting with Tulsa District staff on base. Area Engineer, Daniel de Robles gave some statistics regarding the work that has been accomplished at Tinker during Beck’s time as division commander before turning the meeting over to Beck.
“Our team has had 335 contract modifications of almost $50 million. There have been nearly 12,000 submittals reviewed, over 2,000 requests for information and placement reached over $300 million. The team has worked 1.5 million hours with only one lost time accident, managing over half a million square feet of new or renovated facilities,” said de Robles. “This was all accomplished in just the last two years.”
Gen Beck took time during the town hall to gain feedback and insight from the staff into their jobs and how current events such as supply chain shortages and inflation are impacting their projects.
“What we are seeing right now with the economy is something we haven’t seen before, something we could have never predicted,” said Beck.
He emphasized the need to look for new ways to challenge the team in today’s world where things are not always readily available, while ensuring the customer still receives a quality project.
Beck noted the difference in tenure between the newest employee with the group and the one with the most years with USACE and how the difference in their times of two weeks and 38 years doesn’t mean they don’t each still have things to learn.
“Yesterday’s visit from Gen. Beck reaffirmed my belief USACE is a great place to work,” said Luis Gonzales, project engineer who came from Little Rock District to Tulsa District two weeks ago. “His leadership has taken us in the right direction. He will be missed, but I trust his successor will keep us on this forward trajectory.”
Following the town hall, Beck joined USACE and base staff at the KC-46A project which has a large footprint on Tinker. The KC-46A is the Air Force’ latest refueling tanker, which is replacing the KC135 that has been used for over 60 years
Construction supporting the KC-46A campus will be ongoing for another decade and will culminate in a large campus with 14 hangars, airfield aprons, a taxiway, and a Systems Integration Lab.
Before leaving the base, Beck met briefly with Maj. Gen. Jeffrey R. King, Commander, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex at Tinker.
Beck has been in command of SWD for two years. This is his second division command and fifth assignment in USACE. He says he is leaving the job and division with an incredible appreciation for USACE and what the organization does for the nation. His next assignment will take him to Fort Hood Texas, as deputy commanding general III Corps.
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