TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The 325th Mission Support Group, AFIMSC's Tyndall Program Management Office and a few special helpers broke ground for a new child development center during a ceremony March 31, 2021, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.
With plastic shovels in hand, six military children helped commemorate the significant milestone in the massive Tyndall rebuild effort. The $31.6 million project is the second groundbreaking — and first full-fledged military construction project to move into the construction phase — as Team Tyndall rebuilds the base into the Installation of the Future from the ground up.
“This new child development center is made to help children grow and develop, and in turn provide even better quality of life for their families,” said Col. Greg Moseley, 325th Fighter Wing commander, during his remarks at the ceremony. “Most of all, it will be a massive step in making Tyndall feel like home.”
The base broke ground on the first new building, an Air Battle Manager Simulator Facility, in October 2020.
With resilience a focal point for the Installation of the Future, the new CDC will be built to withstand 165 mph hurricane-force winds and 19 feet of storm surge, said Brig. Gen. Mark Slominski, PMO executive director.
“Child development centers play a fundamental role in the quality of life for our Airmen and families,” Slominski said. “Today’s groundbreaking represents our commitment to build an Installation of the Future that optimizes both mission success and Airmen wellbeing.”
The most prominent mission is to enable Tyndall AFB to provide flexible childcare options for military families. The CDC’s priority aligns with the Air Force’s mission to provide necessary support and dedication to Airmen and their families.
“Tyndall AFB families are essential to supporting the mission of the USAF and in return, the USAF is working to ensure our families are taken care of first,” said Milea Franklin, MILCON execution south lead for the Tyndall PMO. “The child development center is one of the first major hurricane reconstruction efforts underway at Tyndall that supports not only the current missions but also the F-35 beddown mission expected.”
Construction for the CDC is expected to be completed in September 2022.
“This effort not only ensures our families are able to thrive here, but it enables our Airmen to stay mission-ready, knowing their families are well-taken care of,” said Moseley. “Making sure our Airmen stay ready directly correlates to our wing’s success in training and projecting unrivaled combat air power. Our CDC will be a key piece of making that happen.”