Chair of the Spokane County Board of Commissioners, Mary Kuney, introduces the panel of speakers during the April 13 groundbreaking ceremony for the state-of-the-art small arms range and training facility being built on West Medical Lake Road.
FAIRCHILD AFB – The collaborative efforts of several parties converged on April 13 for the Air Force and the Spokane County Sheriff's Office small arms range and training facility groundbreaking ceremony.
The facility, located at 13033 West Medical Lake Road, is just minutes from Fairchild Air Force Base. According to Chair of the Spokane County Board of Commissioners Mary Kuney, having a single facility for both parties to train at will help save taxpayer money because there won't be a need for additional facilities.
Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich explained that much of what drives a community is the partnerships built around the public. His office has been working to establish a relationship with Fairchild for 10 years. He said that better training opportunities allow everyone to do their job more efficiently.
"Training is what makes professionalism, and training is what it's all about when it comes down to discipline and doing things right -and having the confidence and the competence to do your job," Knezovich said. "For law enforcement, this is the most important thing we do for our staff, so they can have the tools necessary to do a difficult job under difficult circumstances."
According to Kuney, the dedication of the people involved moved the project this far along. She explained that some federal directives needed changing along the way.
"It's been years in the making and required changes to federal regulations and commemorates a first of its kind landmark partnership between the Air Force and Spokane County," Kuney said. "It's been almost exactly one year since we executed an intergovernmental support agreement. So, thank you to all parties that helped keep moving this project forward."
Spokane County Commissioner Al French echoed Kuney's thoughts on the legal process and explained it as very time-consuming.
"When we started this 10 years ago, the laws at the federal level and the procedures did not allow for this to happen," French said. "So with the help of our federal delegation, Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Senator Murray and Senator Cantwell, we were able to change those laws and make it possible."
Col. Cassius Bentley, Commander of the 92d Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild, said the project is historic.
"This is a big, big deal and a big day for Fairchild Air Force Base and Spokane County," he said. "The examples the Air Force uses to discuss community partnerships and opportunities are partnerships like this. I'm so proud of the effort put forth for this initiative.
"I think it's a great story. About nine years ago, Jeff Johnson, one of our all-star civilians, sat down with Sheriff Knezovich. They came up with a concept of how we can share our resources to train our defenders and the Sheriff's Office and many others."
Clark Nexsen, the design architect firm behind the state-of-the-art facility, has been involved in many Department of Defense contracts. Principal of the firm Bobby Cummings described how the situation is unique to Clark Nexsen.
"This was the opportunity to get a federal agency working together with a local agency in a way that we have never experienced," Cummings said. "I can tell you from a technical side this range will be one of a kind.
"There is no other place in the country where you can take a facility that has been built to the criteria and standards of the U.S. military and have it be something the air force base and law enforcement agencies can use.
"I want to invite everybody to come out in about 18 months and be here when we open this up for operations to start. We are looking forward to turning dirt as well."
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