TÜRKIYE– U.S. Army air defenders with 11th Missile Defense Battery held a ribbon cutting ceremony May 18 here for the new Ready Building.

U.S. Army Col. Lisa Bartel, 10th AAMDC deputy commanding officer, and Lt. Col. Mark Abowd, 52D ADA Brigade deputy commanding officer, visited the site and toured the Ready Building.

The Ready Building will be used as the new headquarters for the air defenders on site. The new building will allow for the air defenders to be centrally located instead of being dispersed throughout the site, thus enabling optimal communication, mission readiness, and allocation for resources. The ready building is equipped with a kitchen, bathrooms, abundant office space, a conference room, etc.

“The original building that the command team was working out of made it difficult to complete tasks and coordinate with the military police and orderly room,” said U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Nicholas Solis, 11th Missile Defense Battery executive officer. “Now with the Ready Building, everything is condensed into one and we can get work done more efficiently.”

The Ready Building was under construction for the past 7 years, during the process, Türkiye experienced two devastating earthquakes on February 6, 2023. Several individuals that were a part of the Turkish construction team were affected by the earthquakes, many lost their homes and family members. Following the disaster, living facilities were set up on site for Turkish contractors, Turkish air force, and U.S. contractors. Through this tragic event, our Allies were resilient and persevered amidst great adversity.

“What I would like to emphasize is the amount of support and respect the Turkish people have given us throughout the construction process,” said U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Jeffrey Powell, 11th Missile Defense Battery First Sergeant. “Even though this is a U.S. facility, all approval has to be cleared by the Turkish general staff and the Turkish Air Force site commander. Our Allies have been jumping through hoops to ensure this was done in a timely manner despite the sorrow inflicted on their country. They are continuously doing everything they can to support us and allow us to move forward with the building process. We are so grateful for our hosts and the amount of support they provided us.”

The previous location that the air defenders used as their workplace, will now be replaced with a year-round Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) facility furnished with a gaming facility, soccer goals, a basketball court, volleyball court, ACFT lanes, and a track. The area will be accessible uninterruptedly through harsh winters allowing air defenders to hold morale functions, physical training, and play sports.

The medical trauma clinic will now be in the Ready Building which greatly increases the clinic’s security.

“I am excited and happy to expand the morale and quality of life throughout the Battery with the improved workspace and new MWR facility for air defenders to use year-round!” said Powell.