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Aviano unveils new Army power-projection facility
U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, Commander, U.S. European Command & Supreme Allied Commander, and U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Andrew Gainey, Commander, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, and their spouses pose with U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Tad Clark, 31st Fighter Wing commander, and his spouse, at Aviano Air Base, Italy, October 9, 2024. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in close coordination with U.S. Army Garrison Italy, Aviano Air Base and other U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force partners, completed the new supply warehouse at Aviano Air Base earlier this year in 2024. The warehouse will primarily support 173rd Airborne Brigade contingency operations and reduces their time needed to rapidly deploy.
Photo by: Airman 1st Class Synsere Howard
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Aviano unveils new Army power-projection facility
U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, commander, U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, arrives at Aviano Air Base, Italy, to be greeted by U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Tad Clark, 31st Fighter Wing commander, on Oct. 9, 2024. Cavoli visited Aviano to join in the ribbon cutting ceremony of a new Army warehouse that will be used by the 173rd Airborne Brigade and enhance their ability to rapidly deploy in response to crisis.
Photo by: Airman 1st Class Synsere Howard
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Aviano unveils new Army power-projection facility
U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, Commander, U.S. European Command & Supreme Allied Commander poses for a group photo alongside U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy, Oct. 9, 2024. Cavoli visited Aviano AB for a ribbon cutting ceremony on a new warehouse designed to support the 173rd Airborne Brigade’s contingency operations and reduce the time needed to rapidly deploy.
Photo by: Airman 1st Class Synsere Howard
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Aviano unveils new Army power-projection facility
U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, Commander, U.S. European Command & Supreme Allied Commander, provides during an unveiling of the new Army warehouse at Aviano Air Base, Italy, on Oct. 9, 2024. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-led project supports USEUCOM’s missions by delivering facilities like this one that enhance readiness, increase operational capabilities and help ensure warfighters have the necessary sustainment capabilities for mission success
Photo by: Airman 1st Class Synsere Howard
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Aviano unveils new Army power-projection facility
U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, Commander, U.S. European Command & Supreme Allied Commander, presents a coin to U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Tyler, 31st Security Forces Squadron combat arms instructor, in recognition for his exemplary performance at Aviano Air Base, Italy, Oct. 9, 2024. Cavoli visited Aviano AB for a ribbon cutting ceremony on a new warehouse designed to support the 173rd Airborne Brigade’s contingency operations and reduce the time needed to rapidly deploy.
Photo by: Airman 1st Class Synsere Howard
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Aviano unveils new Army power-projection facility
U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, Commander, U.S. European Command & Supreme Allied Commander, and U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Andrew Gainey, Commander, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, and U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Tad Clark, 31st Fighter Wing commander, cut the ribbon of a new Army warehouse at Aviano Air Base, Italy, Oct. 9, 2024 The warehouse project has been a top U.S. Army and USEUCOM priority, as it will reduce 173rd Airborne Brigade response time for contingency missions in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Photo by: Airman 1st Class Synsere Howard
Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade are able to reduce their rapid deployment time due to a $4.5 million warehouse project that stores their equipment at Aviano Air Base.
U.S. Army Garrison Italy, working together with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Air Force, recently completed the warehouse. While Army buildings on an air base sounds unusual, Army paratroopers use Aviano for training and deployments.
Gen. Christopher Cavoli, Commander, U.S. European Command & Supreme Allied Commander, led the Oct. 9 ribbon cutting, along side senior Air Force, Army and Italian military leaders. More than 100 people, to include U.S. and Italian employees of both Caserma Ederle in Vicenza and Aviano AB, listened as Cavoli discussed the importance of the new infrastructure.
In early 1991, while serving as a Vicenza-based lieutenant in U.S. Army airborne battalion, Cavoli sat along the airfield with 1,100 fellow paratroopers at Aviano, surrounded by supplies, waiting to deploy to Northern Iraq, he said. Serving as the air operations officer at the time, Cavoli oversaw the inspection and loading his unit’s gear.
“It began to rain and the idea came that at some point we should build something here,” Cavoli said.
The new structure supports 173rd contingency operations and allows the unit to deploy more rapidly to contingency missions in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. USAG Italy runs all deployment operations supporting the Southern European Task Force, Africa’s early-entry command post mission, the North-West African response force and U.S. European Command’s crisis, contingency, and the deterrence response force.
Construction began in the Fall of 2022 and the warehouse was completed ahead of schedule in the Spring of 2024. It offers more than is 13,450 square feet of space.
USACE’s Europe District, who deliver engineering solutions to support U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa, oversaw its construction. For Evan Taylor, USACE’s resident engineer for projects in Italy, the project’s completion was successful because of hard work and cooperation between the Italian design and construction firms, U.S. Air Force and U.S Army representatives, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Taylor saw it grow from its groundbreaking to the ribbon cutting.
“When we started, this was a parking lot, a blank space of land,” Taylor said. “In the matter of a year and a half we were able to construct a fully functional warehouse that can help support the troops in fulfilling their mission.”
Having supplies nearby the airfield enhances the Army’s role as a power projection platform, by reducing response times and offering leaders strategic options. Capt. Danielle Bauer, commander of Kilo Company, 173rd Brigade Support Battalion, calls it a “crucial hub for the rapid outload of equipment,” because it increases the unit’s storage capacity, streamlines logistics and enhances interoperability with the Air Force.
Among those who took part in the afternoon event were Maj. Gen. Andrew Gainey, SETAF-AF Commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Reese Teakell, SETAF-AF’s senior enlisted leader. Col. Scott Horrigan, USAG Italy commander and Col. Joshua Gaspard, commander of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, joined Cavoli for the ribbon cutting, alongside Gainey and Brig. Gen Tad Clark, commander of the 31 Fighter Wing. Before departing, Cavoli recognized several people personally and thanked the entire group.
“This work you do here, that’s represented by this building, is a great example of people stepping up and fulfilling the expectations that populations have for us to provide for their defense,” Cavoli said.
