Goodfellow AFB Grant Creates New Projects, Protects Base from Closure

Commissioners’ Court recently approved the final details of a grant for Goodfellow Air Force Base from the Governor’s office totaling $2,042,000.00. The grant will be used to renovate two buildings at the base in order to house Goodfellow’s advanced international training program. San Angelo LIVE! spoke to contributors to the project in order to better understand the mission, as well as how the mission insulates the base from closure.

"There hasn't been a BRAC (base realignment and closure) in many years, and there hasn't been a discussion of a BRAC anytime soon; but, the political climate could change," Mike J. Noret, 17th Civil Engineer Squadron base deputy said. "The state of Texas wants to invest money into its military installations to strengthen them if there ever is a next round."

The first renovated building, the International Training Center, will be outfitted with technology necessary to train international allies. These allies will be sent to Goodfellow from all over the world to learn surveillance, intelligence, and other skills of that nature.

“The International Training Center will be the cornerstone of our ability to conduct that training," Col. Michael L. Downs, 17th Training Wing Commander said. “Ultimately, I'm excited about the impact this will have on our national security."

The international training project is approved and regulated by the Department of Defense. The Department has existing and pending contract agreements to do this training from many different countries. According to Carol Ann Bonds, local member of the Texas Military Preparedness Commission, 32 different countries have applied to the program so far.

“If we had not gotten this grant, then they had another base lined up to take this international mission,” Bonds said. “So we were extremely competitive in what we offered in this respect of courses we would offer and helping these international midlevel international officers that would be coming.”

 According to County Judge Steve Floyd, the Department of Defense believes they have 25 percent excess facilities.

“They’re wanting to reduce that because they need it for personnel and mission critical type things on a shrinking budget,” Floyd said. “But there’s been no political appetite for it because basically that’s a legislative action, and no one wants to get into that because it is such a political hot button.”

Floyd explained that San Angelo has experience with danger of realignment in the past. Goodfellow AFB faced BRAC during the most recent round of BRACs in the early 90s. Floyd said three members of the BRAC commission came to Goodfellow at the time along with Ann Richards, the Governor of Texas.

“The community came out for support because Goodfellow was on the closure list,” Floyd said. “I think that public support for Goodfellow obviously influenced those commission members, and Goodfellow was saved by that. It was taken off that list. So we came very, very close to losing it at that point in time.”

Since then, leaders in the community have been working to set up missions at Goodfellow to protect it from future BRACs.

“Our community, when I arrived here almost a decade ago, described for me how this city had come together to fight for Goodfellow’s continued existence at the last BRAC,” Bonds said. “It is not something once you survive one of those that you can breathe and know that you’ve won and you quit doing things to improve the base for future BRACs.”

Floyd said Goodfellow provides many critical missions, such as the only international fire training center, the medical training battalion, and the ASU associate program. In particular, the base’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services are important to the military as a whole.

Bonds noted that a wealth of soldiers from all branches of the military are trained at Goodfellow. Furthermore, Bonds has been told by reliable sources that an increased number of trainees are planned to be sent to Goodfellow next year.

“With that said, that still is not enough,” Bonds said. “That isn’t a new mission; that’s just increasing the number of trainees that are sent here so we can’t rest on our laurels.”

Bonds told San Angelo LIVE! that the base is likely to be given a new mission: training higher ranking intelligence officers.

Bonds pointed out that the international training program will be benefiting the economy on a national level, as the countries are basically paying tuition to the national government for the training. Also, the additional numbers will benefit the local financial environment. Bonds stated that half of the soldiers from foreign countries will bring families, and most will live outside of the base.

Bonds also spoke about the second building to be renovated at the base. The completed project will be a collaborative center that will give both foreign and domestic soldiers a chance to interact between classes. The center will be a coffee shop and will provide computers and snacks for the soldiers.

When San Angelo LIVE! asked Bonds what the public could do to support Goodfellow, she said it would be helpful for residents to reach out to the individuals and families in the international program. She added that it would be beneficial to help them to have “a good American experience.” 

“I think this community doesn’t need much begging to support Goodfellow,” Bonds said. “They are so supportive. If [the foreign students] have come with prejudices or maybe fears of America, we will have a shot here in San Angelo to change that perception. 

Goodfellow is planning to train around 130 to 200 foreign military students a year. The renovations of the soon-to-be International Training Center are slated for completion in summer 2017.

Floyd pointed out that San Angelo has a long history of the inclusion of the military in the community thanks to Fort Concho.

“The profession of arms is a part of our DNA, and people at Goodfellow seem to love the community, mainly because this community embraces them and treats them as one of the family,” Floyd said. “I’m proud to be a part of that, and I’m proud that they feel that way while they’re here.”

For more about the grant insulating Goodfellow from closure, check out San Angelo LIVE!'s previous article.