Breaking Ground

Sharon Raque, representing the Army Corps of Engineers; Vince Gastgeb, the vice president of government and community affairs with Allegheny County Airport Authority; Elizabeth Fishback, representing Senator Robert Casey’s office; Col. Jeff VanDootingh, commander of the 911th Airlift Wing; Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania Michael Stack, Doug Keeter; representing the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce, James Plante; representing Senator Patrick Toomey’s office, Joseph Wiedner; representing Congressman Keith Rothfus’ office; Airman 1st Class Emily Kauk, the 911th Airlift Wing’s newest Airman; Ben Logan, president of Carothers Construction; John Devere, senior project manager with Walsh Group; and Chris Mathies, vice president of operations with NOVA Group, take the first of many shovelfuls of dirt at the C-17 Conversion Groundbreaking Ceremony at the Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station, Pa., November 7, 2017. The ceremony signifies the beginning of construction that will make the base capable of housing a fleet of C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, replacing its current fleet of C-130 Hercules as well as bringing a new mission to the base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Beth Kobily)