Originally built as a U.S. Navy Reserve facility in the 1940s, Aviation Support Facility Olathe, located in New Century, Kansas, is currently the U.S. Army Reserve 7/158. It is home to Bravo and Delta Companies, General Support Aviation Battalion. Supporting U.S. military missions across the country and around the world, units provide critical maintenance for a fleet of CH-47 Chinook helicopters and are staffed by pilots and crew members who conduct the mission.

As the future of warfare continues to change, modernizing vital military support facilities like the New Century aviation hangar is critical to ensuring the United States remains a global superpower. The Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is currently working to modernize the facility and several projects are ongoing.

First on the “to do” list was a complete bathroom renovation. About 65 people work full time at the hangar, but more than 200 people work at the New Century facility during weekend exercises. The bathrooms in the hangar are almost complete and have been renovated to provide modern amenities to the units.

“This building was built in about 1942 and had some improvements (over the years), but it was still pretty old,” said Kody Kemerling, preservation and reserve program manager for the Kansas City District. “(The renovated bathrooms) will definitely give them better usage opportunities.”

Next on the list is hangar door replacement. According to Kemerling, the four hangar doors are original to the building. No work will be done on the doors, but the electrical and mechanical components will be completely renewed.

“Basically, the moving parts on the doors will be completely rebuilt or replaced so they work properly,” Kemerling said. “This will serve them for many years to come.”

Other projects include replacing the asphalt aprons outside the hangar and an energy project that will convert many of the facility’s energy sources to more durable and sustainable options. This includes replacing all lighting with LED, installing a rainwater harvesting system, adding an additional generator to provide backup power to the facility, and potentially installing a solar array for an additional power source.

Investing time and money into such an old facility may not make sense to some, but according to Kemerling, space in the hangar is minimal and worth renovating to remain functional both now and in the future.

“A big reason why we continue to renovate this facility is because new facilities that operate the same way don’t have as much space as this building,” Kemerling said. “It allows up to eight birds to work inside at the same time.”

Kemerling knows firsthand how important the New Century aviation hangar is to the U.S. Army Reserve. He served as a reservist in the U.S. Army for 21 years and retired on Veterans Day this year. Now as the conservation and reserve program manager for the Kansas City District Military Programs Division, Kemerling is able to bring a U.S. Army Reserve perspective to his work with USACE.

“I make sure we do the best we can at USACE and take care of them. I want them to feel like they are a priority,” Kemerling said. “These units need to keep their skills high, and providing them with the facilities they need to operate and continue their mission is critical to national security.”

The hangar door renovation is expected to be completed next summer, construction on the asphalt apron replacement project is expected to begin next spring, and the energy project is currently in the design phase.