YIGO, Guam -- The 36th Civil Engineering Squadron held a groundbreaking event, May 17, to begin the construction of a $4.14 million medical training facility at Andersen Air Force Base (AAFB) in Guam.

This one-story, 495-square-meter facility, is the first for the 624th Aerospace Medicine (AMDF) Flight of the Air Force Reserve. It will be located adjacent to the existing 36th Medical Group (MDG) Medical/Dental building on AAFB.

“Collocating our unit to the 36th MDG will enhance relations with our host base medical facility,” said Maj. Ronnie Guerrero, officer in charge of Health and Services Administration for the 624th AMDF. “This building will enable us to run our operations a lot more smoothly because our proximity to the MTF will allow us to conduct our training on-site and transition to actual practicing of physical exams, labs and immunizations much more readily.”

The 624th AMDF comprises about 38 members and provides physical exam support to its collocated reserve unit, the 44th Aerial Port Squadron. It currently operates about a half mile from the 36th MDG building.

“With us being adjacent to 36th MDG, they’ll know exactly who their partners are on base,” he said. “They’ll be able to know that we’re there to support them whenever they need it and, of course, we count on their support as well.”

Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Marianas awarded the $4.14 million contract to Reliable Builders Inc. of Guam, under a small-business Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) design-build multiple award construction contract in September 2018.

Construction of the facility is expected to be complete in March 2020.