New NOSC - Pittsburgh open for business

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Marjorie A. Bowlden
  • 911th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Pittsburgh IAP ARS --  A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station in Moon Twp. for the new Navy Operational Support Center - Pittsburgh, Monday, June 2 at 2 p.m.

Participating in the ceremony were Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair; Navy Vice Adm. Robin R. Braun, Chief of Navy Reserve; Air Force Col. Stacey L. Scarisbrick, commander of the 911th Mission Support Group; and Navy Lt. Cmdr. Craig S. Frangente, commander of NOSC - Pittsburgh.

This $12 million, 30,600 sq. ft. facility began construction October 6, 2012 and is expected to be fully completed later this month.

NOSC - Pittsburgh is phase one of a multi-phased project intended to house the long-awaited Joint Readiness Training Center, all of which will be located at the 911th Airlift Wing, Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station in Moon Twp.

A strategic hub for homeland defense and emergency response efforts, phase one of JRTC - Pittsburgh begins with the NOSC's relocation from North Versailles to their new home within the military community of the Pittsburgh Airport Corridor. The original building opened in 1972 and currently houses 15 tenant Navy Reserve units.

Scarisbrick and Frangente both stated that they look forward to the opportunity for their respective branches to work together on the installation.

The mission of NOSC - Pittsburgh is to ensure mobilization readiness of Navy Reserve personnel through administrative support and the facilitation of training while providing a local Navy presence in the greater Pittsburgh area. The Navy Reserve sailors are ready to go wherever the Navy or Department of Defense may need them.

"We never know when the next contingency, next conflict or next national emergency is going to happen," said Braun.

More than 70,000 Navy Reserve sailors have been deployed since 9/11, said Braun. Currently, seven sailors from NOSC - Pittsburgh are deployed with four in Afghanistan, two in Guantanamo Bay and one in Africa.

NOSC - Pittsburgh's most junior member Seaman Nathaniel Major, Braun and Murphy cut the ribbon to conclude the ceremony and thus officially marked the new facility as open for business.