City-base concept still progressing

  • Published
  • By Larry Farlow
  • 311th Human Systems Wing Public Affairs
BROOKS CITY-BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  What used to be Brooks Air Force Base here is through its first year of morphing into a technology and business park via a unique partnership between the Air Force and San Antonio.

Now known as Brooks City-Base, the technology park has sparked interest from numerous companies and organizations considering locating here. These include bioscience, academia, retail and service companies, according to Rita Duggan, who provides Air Force oversight to daily operations here.

The new partnership model was introduced when Air Force officials sold the base to the Brooks Development Authority on July 22, 2002. Now, with the BDA as its landlord, the Air Force is a tenant and pays for only the facilities essential to its missions, reducing federal overhead costs of ownership.

"By reducing costs associated with infrastructure maintenance and municipal services, the Air Force can focus on its mission," Duggan said. "The atmosphere provides for a wide range of opportunities and cooperation amongst future partners."

Duggan said the partnership should save the Air Force an estimated $8 million a year.

BDA officials make sure day-today operations rum smoothly. Local utility companies own and operate the utility infrastructure. San Antonio city provides law enforcement and fire protection to the city-base while the Air Force provides security for its leased facility.

The concept is something that senior Air Force officials are applauding.

"The city-base concept is one that underscores the absolute necessity to transform our air and space capabilities to optimize our resources through innovation and creativity," said Air Force Secretary Dr. James Roche. "It also clearly identifies the partnership we have with the communities around our bases. Our challenges are to remain innovative in our approach to organizing our forces and continue fostering relationships with our communities."

The 311th Human Systems Wing and its aerospace medicine, research and biotechnology mission not only remain operational here as the park's largest tenant, but wing officials said the mission tempo is increasing. Private industry and academia are also contributing to the growth here.

Located about 10 minutes from downtown San Antonio, close to three major interstate highways and a rail line, many prospective companies and universities already have employees who work at Brooks as high-tech government contractors and researchers.

"City-base has unique physical and intellectual assets in the high-tech areas of science, medicine, education and research," Duggan said. "The important partnerships developed here will enhance Air Force, as well as the nation's capabilities to meet the challenges of homeland security."

One of those partnerships is between Texas A&M University and the Air Force. They are collaborating on disaster response, aging aircraft sustainment, fuel cell technology and other initiatives.

Opportunities to jointly address public health issues in collaboration with the Air Force Institute of Operational Health are drawing the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District offices to Brooks.

The Center of Excellence in Biotechnology and Bioprocessing Education and Research laboratory opened this summer as a joint venture between the Air Force Institute of Operational Health here and the University of Texas at San Antonio. Students and Air Force experts share the facility, where both learn to handle vaccines, biosensors and other biological products. The faculty is involved in research on sensors, vaccines and treatments for biological weapons.

The partnership goals between the BDA and Air Force include maintaining Air Force mission requirements while reducing base operating costs, and enhancing mission capabilities by creating public and private partnerships with business, government and academia, Duggan said. Courtesy of AFMC News Service)