624 RSG celebrates opening of new HQ facility with ribbon-cutting

  • Published
  • By Kelly Owens
  • 624th Regional Support Group
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii --  

On Saturday, Feb. 4, the 624th Regional Support Group celebrated the opening of its new headquarters facility located at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house. In attendance were Group leadership and members, 4th Air Force Commander, Brig. Gen. Scott Durham and 4th Air Force Command Chief, Chief Master Sgt. Israel Nunez.

“We are grateful to our partners in making this vision a reality,” said Col. Brandon W. Stepp, 624th RSG commander. “This headquarters building is not just about bricks and mortar; rather, it’s a tangible representation of how we want to serve our Pacific Warriors. Our new facility enables training opportunities and more efficient communication, which, at the end of the day, helps ensure our Airmen are prepared for the future fight.”

Having broken ground on March 31, 2021, the new headquarters building co-locates leadership, group, and flight support staff with the unit’s Aeromedical Staging Squadron (ASTS). Previously, the group headquarters shared space with multiple units and service branches across the base.

Championed by former 624th RSG Commander Col. Athanasia Shinas, the facility has been in the works since gaining funding from Congress in 2020. The building, delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will house full-time military and civilian employees and more than 100 traditional reservists during drill weekends.

Spanning two floors and totaling 6,280 square feet of space, the building provides conference rooms, a mix of private and open-space offices, common spaces for collaboration, SIPR-enabled and secured rooms, and a lactation space.  It is also ADA-compliant.

Key players in the development and delivery of the building included Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC), 4th Air Force, and the 15th Wing. Maj. Elbert Laza, commander of the 624th RSG FSF, served as project manager on the 624th RSG side and was the day-to-day contact for the contractors throughout the process.