One move equals major undertaking

By Master Sgt. Ron Hyink
AFTAC Public Affairs
Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.

Riding the shock waves of any base closure is an entire laundry list of details requiring strict attention. Somewhere down the list of details for McClellan AFB, Calif., was the arduous task: “Move SAHS.”

Since August 1995, the Subsurface Alternate Headquarters Subsystem, or SAHS, has served as an alternate means of carrying on the Air Force Technical Applications Center’s mission of monitoring nuclear treaties in case of a natural disaster or catastrophic failure. However, the system was housed within the Technical Operations Division, AFTAC’s largest subordinate unit, and TOD is located on McClellan. SAHS had to move, and has since taken up residence with the 312th Training Squadron, Goodfellow AFB, Texas, home of the 17th Training Wing.

The mother system to SAHS is the SHS, or Subsurface Headquarters Subsystem, located at Headquarters AFTAC, Patrick AFB, Fla. The SHS processes and archives seismic data collected from sensors located around the globe to carry out AFTAC’s mission of nuclear treaty monitoring. In an emergency, AFTAC operations and maintenance personnel would deploy to Goodfellow and continue the mission using SAHS within 24 hours of notification.

AFTAC charged Detachment 3, Aeronautical Systems Center with the relocation project. A team led by Det. 3, ASC’s Capt. Eric Skowbo dismantled the system at TOD and reassembled it at Goodfellow.

“The key to making this move so successful was 1st Lt. Steve Wood,” said Skowbo, ADSN system program manager. “Steve integrated the efforts of nine organizations to make it all happen.”

In order to move SAHS to Goodfellow, the 17th Training Wing had to go through its major command channels, the Air Education and Training Command. Adding to the complications, removing the equipment from a base selected for closure under Base Realignment and Closure required congressional approval.

From original planning to final testing, it took more than six months to move SAHS. Skowbo’s team of government and contracted workers planned, redesigned and transferred the system from McClellan to Goodfellow. Organizations involved in the move included AFTAC; TOD; 312th TRS; 17th Civil Engineering Squadron and 17th Communications Squadron, both at Goodfellow; The Boeing Company; Command Technologies, Inc.; Science Applications International Corp.; and Sword and Shield Computer Services, Inc.

With the planning stage complete, the team engineered some changes to the system necessary for it to operate in its new location. They focused on facility modifications, led by Tech. Sgt. Eric Patterson, chief of maintenance for the 312th TRS, where the system would finally reside.

“Once the decision was made to locate the SAHS system here at Goodfellow, 17th CES and 17th CS quickly performed the necessary facility upgrades and did so under budget,” said Patterson.

Working for Patterson was Staff Sgt. Mike McCoy, a special instruments technician who oversaw the facility upgrades at Goodfellow. He ensured new communications circuits were established and sufficient electrical power was installed. Other touches included appropriate lighting, air conditioning, furniture and many other details. Only then could Skowbo’s crew deploy to TOD to tear down the system and move it to its new home.

The move itself took less than a week. In another week, SAHS was fully operational – two weeks ahead of schedule. “This was definitely a high priority,” said McCoy. “Everyone involved went above and beyond all expectations to make sure the job was done professionally and ahead of schedule.”

The moment of truth for the entire move, however, hinged on a critical system test. But all was well as the communications circuits were made operational in time for the March 15 ribbon cutting ceremony with Col. Harold Beatty, AFTAC commander, and Col. Toreasor Steele, 17th Training Wing commander.

It wasn’t easy checking off that one item labeled “Move SAHS” on McClellan’s closure list. But a lot of hard work by a lot of hard-working people ensured AFTAC’s nuclear treaty monitoring mission will continue unabated.