Navy, Marines coming to Luke

  • Published
  • By Deborah Silliman Wolfe
  • Thunderbolt staff writer
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Driving west on Lightning Street at Luke Air Force Base, it is impossible to miss the major construction that has been going on for the last few months in the lot east of the life skills building. The building construction will be wrapping up this fall, and Luke will become the new home for a Marine Reserve unit. Approximately one year later, Luke will also receive a Naval Reserve unit. 

"The Marine Forces Reserve Bulk Fuel Company Charlie and Naval Operations Support Center initially began the process to move to Luke concurrently," said Maj. Karl Koch, 56th Fighter Wing Plans and Programs chief. "However, the Navy has delayed their process and is entertaining a move-in date approximately one year after the Marines." 

According to the Air Education and Training Command Programming Plan 07-09 report reviewing the request of MARFORRES BFCC and NOSC moves to Luke, around 30 full-time personnel and 320 part-time reservists who drill on weekends once a month will be included in the Marine relocation to Luke. Forty full-time personnel and 750 part-time reservists will be included in the Navy relocation. 

The current facilities where the MARFORRES and NOSC now reside, downtown Phoenix at 35th Avenue and I-10, were built in the 1950s. They do not meet current anti-terrorism and force protection criteria and to bring them up to these standards would be cost prohibitive, according to the report. The current facilities are in a highly deteriorated condition and the high crime rate in the neighborhood surrounding the current reserve center continues to be a significant concern to assigned servicemembers. 

The Sailors and Marines will benefit from the up-to-date facilities and safe surroundings that Luke offers, but what will Luke get out of the deal? 

"The 56th Fighter Wing is not benefiting, per se, but rather extending support to other units in need," Major Koch said. "Compensation is provided by tenant units in the form of personnel or financial coverage for base support." 

Major Koch also noted the autonomy the units will maintain. 

"While the training for both the MARFORRES BFCC and NOSC is crucial for military missions, their operations will remain independent from on-going training at Luke," he said. "Given the nature of the respective missions, there is no current plan to integrate the training of these tenant units with 56th FW operations. A crucial prerequisite to the move was ensuring there will be no adverse impact on the 56th FW mission." 

The MARFORRES BFCC mission is to provide fuels storage and distribution to elements of the Marine Air Ground Task Force and individual combat-ready augmentees to gaining force commanders. The BFCC operations and training concept is to conduct field drill periods at Luke Auxiliary Field No. 1 and other off-base locations throughout Arizona. 

The NOSC mission is to provide administrative, medical and training support to 19 U.S. Navy Reserve units. Additionally, NOSC provides casualty assistance calls to support the families of Arizona Sailors and funeral honors support to Arizona Navy veterans. The unit also provides miscellaneous Navy public affairs support such as attending community events.