Jump to content

Kulis


SEFEGeorge
 Share

Recommended Posts

They had a bittersweet party Sunday at Kulis Air National Guard Base in Anchorage.

Guard members and their families toured planes and helicopters, posed for pictures with big guns, ate huge amounts of food including hamburgers, hot dogs, cotton candy, popcorn and ice cream sundaes, visited the beer garden, listened to music. It was the annual Family Day event, kind of a mini-state fair with face painting, crazy hairdos, and games of chance and skill.

But this year, it was also a big goodbye party.

The Guard's 176th Wing is leaving Kulis, its home off Raspberry Road for more than 55 years, and moving across town to new quarters on Elmendorf Air Force Base. Some crews have already moved, but the bulk won't go until early 2011.

Perhaps no one is sadder to see the wing move than Rich Owens, owner of the Tastee Freez franchise just up the road, at Raspberry and Jewel Lake Road. The Guard members are some of his best customers, and he's one of the base's biggest supporters.

"That's part of the emotional tug," said the wing's commander, Brig. Gen. Chuck Foster, who is in charge of the move. The wing has 1,400 members and while some already work on Elmendorf, most are stationed at Kulis and many live in South Anchorage.

ICE CREAM SQUADRON

Tastee Freez is a neighborhood business that helps tie the base to the community, and it's a relationship no one wants to lose, Foster said.

Owens figures he might see a 10-15 percent drop in business when the Air Guard leaves. "It will have a huge impact on us," he said.

And it works both ways. He donates ice cream for Guard Christmas parties and dishes up ice cream sundaes during Operation Santa Claus, when the Air Guard brings toys and treats to rural villages.

At Sunday's event, the Guard bought 500 sundaes, but he donated 200 more and squirted on the whipped cream.

Just a couple of weeks after he bought the franchise in 1994, three friends were in a small plane crash across Cook Inlet. Two were killed, but Air Guard members from Kulis were on a training mission that became a rescue. They were able to save one friend, Ann Malone.

He's been a big supporter of the Guard ever since. He even got military approval to create patches noting that Tastee Freez is the ice cream support squadron for the Alaska National Guard. He sells the patches and T-shirts and collects donations at the counter to raise money for the Guard's family programs. He hires teens from Kulis families, especially those who may need a little extra guidance. And he's state chairman of a group that works with part-time guard members and their civilian employers to deal with any problems.

It's a deep association, and it won't be severed when the 176th Wing moves, both Foster and Owens said. Guard members who live in East Anchorage may need to make a special trip to Sand Lake for their burgers, onion rings and soft serve cones, the general said.

'WE'RE COMMUNITY'

The Kulis base sits on 130 acres of state airport land. It's not yet settled who will move in, but the new tenants likely will include corporate airplane operations, and maybe maintenance crews, said John Parrott, manager of Stevens International Airport.

Neighbors are concerned about the change, he said, but it's likely that there will be less air traffic, not more.

The upheaval of the move may make some Guard members apprehensive about their future, Foster said.

The 176th Wing includes longtime Guard members who have planted deep roots in Anchorage. They own houses and watch their children grow up here. They are connected in a way that Air Force and Army personnel who rotate in and out can never be, said Colleen Meredith, education and training manager for the wing.

"We're community," she said.

On base, they see the same familiar faces day after day. There's comfort in that. With the move, "I want to be sure no one gets lost," Foster said.

Dave Looney, a full-time Guard member who works as an HH-60 helicopter pilot, said it will be an adjustment to go from Kulis, where it's all about the Guard, to Elmendorf, where the 176th will be one part of a much bigger operation. He was at Sunday's event with his wife and two young sons, who lined up for Tastee Freez sundaes.

Retiree Jim Curro, who put 20 years in with the Air Guard and 25 with the Air Force, said he was sad to see the 176th Wing move. It's better strategically to have two bases, and sometimes one base is fogged in when the other isn't, he said.

Most of the Guard members say they love what they do, and if they have to do it somewhere else, so be it, Foster said. Some see advantages in having easier access to Elmendorf's exercise facilities and base exchange store. Some already live in East Anchorage, Eagle River or the Valley, so will have a shorter commute. But some are worried.

NEW DIGS

The relocation will carry out a recommendation of the 2005 Base Closure and Realignment Commission. In the bargain, the Air Guard will get new hangars and office space. Those that have already moved say the new surroundings are terrific. There's plenty of storage, rooms for training, and even an endless pool, said rescue unit flight surgeon Mark Tuccillo.

The wing was running out of room at Kulis, Foster said.

"We have as many airplanes as we can fit on our ramp space," Foster said. Eight C-130s that haul cargo. Four HC-130s used in rescues. Six HH-60 rescue helicopters. Once at Elmendorf, they'll be getting four more C-130s.

The 176th also operates C-17s jointly with the Air Force, and Foster hopes more opportunities like that arise.

As to the physical move itself, it will be a lot of work but should go smoothly, Foster said.

"That's what we do for a living. We move stuff around the world."

The bulk of the move should be in mid-January. "What we hope to do -- and I hope the weather cooperates -- is start up all the airplanes and stand here and wave goodbye," the general said.

Read more: http://www.adn.com/2010/07/19/1372671/anchorage-guard-wing-throws-last.html#ixzz0u9V6KxIx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

I just read an article on all the flying aircraft and all the AK ANG static display aircraft have now been moved to Elmendorf.

I also got a picture sent from Lars of 64-0541 sitting abandoned on the ramp at Kulis?

My guess, beer cans.

Bob

Yep, I was just over on Elmendorf yesterday, the Guard hercs are all over on the north ramp. The fuselage of the C-123 is over there also, although the wings are still sitting at Kulis.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also got a picture sent from Lars of 64-0541 sitting abandoned on the ramp at Kulis?

My guess, beer cans.

Bob

So, what's the story on the plane? I've seen it sitting over there (It's actually on an unused portion of the airport, not at Kulis), but didn't realize it was a discard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also heard today that AK ANG is picking up 4 H models from TN ANG. First arrived this weekend.

Last I heard Nashville had 5 H's left and some WC's.

The H's were 89-1181 to 1185. Don't know which 4 are going North, or if Nashville is getting any replacements.

Bob

They got 89-1185

Edited by bobdaley
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...