News

Ribbon cutting ceremony held at HF facility in Elkhorn

  • Published
  • By Josh Plueger
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  The 55th Strategic Communications Squadron hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 29 to celebrate the $1.5 million renovation of the High Frequency Global Communications Site headquarters.

"I'm excited to celebrate with everyone as we officially open this facility," said Lt. Col. Scott Stevens, 55th SCS commander. "It's been a long time coming."

The once 30,000 square foot annex of the 55th SCS's High Frequency Communications System has been reduced to a 10,000 square foot facility to mirror current staffing levels.

"What amazes me is that 150 people were out here running this mission supporting the [Department of Defense's] worldwide mission at one time, and today it's just five," Stevens said. "Now, that's what you call efficiency."

The remodeled facility now includes a renovated unisex bathroom, new break room and kitchen area, new locker and shower room, as well as fresh paint, new carpet and drop ceilings.

Erected in the early 1950s during the Cold War era, the facility boasted 26 dorm rooms, which included a full kitchen, racquetball court and a dayroom. As mission requirements changed over the years, the building saw its residents dwindle, creating an increasingly empty facility.

Since 2004, the facility has employed five civilians following the establishment of the Centralized Network Control Station at Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

"The 755th Communications Squadron Detachment 1 used to live out at this location and there's actually a few [of our civilian teammates] here who were part of the unit," said Col. Jeff Granger, 55th Communications Group commander, who was the presiding official over the ceremony. "They've seen a lot of huge changes over the years."

Although the HFGCS headquarters has been reduced in size, the mission it performs remains both crucial and relevant to a vast array of DOD missions. It provides continuous, reliable and rapid two-way communications to all DOD ground agencies, naval vessels and flying assets. Several military commands rely on this remote facility to perform their missions around the globe.

The renovated facility is almost lost in the infinite stretches of farmland, North of Elkhorn, if not for the colossal antennas that surround it.

In addition to reducing the scale of the facility, the unit will be adding three new antennas in both its Elkhorn, Neb., and Scribner, Neb., locations. The new antennas will keep pace with the ever-developing mission requirements.

"Technology has made it such that we can turn the responsibility of this mission over to five folks," Granger said. "They work very, very hard and we really appreciate their efforts."

Although time coupled with evolving mission demands and technology has streamlined and shaped the current staffing levels and the scale of HFGCS headquarters, the mission continues decades after its inception in the rural Nebraskan plains.