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Base personnel using the east gate on Ramstein as their primary entry and exit points were able to return to their normal traffic routes after the gate reopened Jan. 22.
The completion of the east gate construction ended almost two years of on-going entry point construction on the base.
And though the gate certainly looks more appealing, the renovations weren’t about style, they were made to support the gate guards working around the clock to ensure base safety.
Prior to construction, gate guards were victims of the weather for long hours at a time. Improving the quality of their working conditions was crucial for their morale, said Andreas H. May, 86th Civil Engineer Squadron program flight deputy chief.
“A short term inconvenience was necessary to greatly improve the quality of life for personnel who perform this vital force protection function, ultimately making us all more secure,” the deputy chief said.
Mr. May said the project was intended to serve dual purposes. First, was providing protection from the elements by building a canopy structure over the entire width of the east gate. Second, was the renovation of the guard house including the restrooms, heating systems and the lobby.
During construction, security forces members had to work out of two temporary gates that were not as efficient in handling the rush-hour traffic in the mornings or evenings, said Capt. Nicole Schatz, 86th Security Forces Squadron operations officer. They were out in the elements more, since the temporary facilities did not have all the amenities as the east gate.
“The troops did an outstanding job for what they had to work with. Moving into a temporary gate that was smaller wasn’t the ideal situation,” the captain said. “Shutting down the east gate completely allowed the contractors to work without traffic. If we hadn’t, the construction project would have taken longer and would have caused more traffic issues.”
Staying on track to complete the mission was the focus of the security forces members, but for the contractors, their focus was on working on the gate to get base security back up to par.
“Almost from start to finish, the construction contractor stayed on schedule until late December when bad weather delayed the completion of the east entry-control point for about a month,” Mr. May said. “Fortunately, an extended break in the cold and snowy weather allowed the contractor to finish essential work before the opening in January.”
Only minor list items remain for the completion of the upgrade. Construction will resume later this spring when weather improves and will not affect gate operations or traffic flow.
The minor inconveniences experienced by the KMC during all of the gate and road projects over the last two years is a small price to pay when compared to the quality of life improvements for security forces and the overall improvements of the traffic flow in, out and through Ramstein, Mr. May said.
