Cannon breaks ground on new medical clinic

With seven shovels — six silver, one gold — pointed into the earth, people associated with Cannon Air Force Base’s past, present and future in medical care dug into the future site of the new Cannon Medical Clinic.

A groundbreaking was held Tuesday afternoon for the $53 million project, headed up by JE Dunn Construction of Kansas City, Missouri. The 112,000 square foot, two-story facility, scheduled for completion in 2018, will replace the current facility which has stood since 1968.

Construction is expected to begin in July.

The short ceremony was held west of the current clinic, on what will be the outer southeast corner of the parking lot. Col. Jeffrey Gillen, 27th Special Operations Medical Group commander, said the original plan was to have the groundbreaking near the future entrance but recent rains left that terrain unsuitable for a ceremonial event.

The ceremony included a golden shovel from the predecessor’s groundbreaking in 1968, and arrangements were made to Meredith Bender as a guest. Bender, who came from her home in Fayetteville, Arkansas, was part of the original groundbreaking and worked for 40 years at the clinic.

link Staff photo: Kevin Wilson

Col. Ben Maitre, commander of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base, has a conversation with Meredith Bender and Dave Wagner of JE Dunn Construction prior to the Tuesday afternoon groundbreaking ceremony for the new medical clinic. Bender worked for 40 years and was present for the 1968 groundbreaking of the current facility, which will be replaced in 2018 by the $53 million facility.

Dave Wagner, the initial outfitting program director for JE Dunn, said the LEED-Silver building will include a two-story atrium and take advantage of daylight for much of its interior lighting.

“Our goal is to build this just like you would see in the civilian section,” Wagner said. “We’ll have this healing atmosphere from the moment you walk in to when you see your physician to getting the treatment done.”

Wagner said the biggest challenge of working in the military area compared to the private sector is the turnover of higher staff.

“The people are there for two, maybe three years,” Wagner said. “So the people you work with in the design aren’t there for the end product.”

Gillen thanked those predecessors, including Maj. Gen. Stephen A. Clark and Col. Scott Corcoran, for having the foresight to seek a new clinic and the Air Force Medical Service’s Health Facility Office for making sure the project didn’t get lost in the shuffle during sequestration cuts.

“While my tenure at Cannon is drawing to a close, the medical capability of the 27th Special Operations Medical Group is very bright. This facility will serve the air commando medics of Cannon Air Force Base to generate the highest levels of care; it will enhance the patient experience and our ability to take care of our air commando family for the next 50 years.

“This project is at the right time, at the right location.”

The new clinic is situated in the heart of what Cannon personnel refer to as the family corridor. Chaplain Capt. Phillip Kaim’s introductory prayer was mixed with the sounds of construction from the other side of East Sextant Avenue on the future site of the Youth Center Annex scheduled for January completion. To its west lies the Child Development Center, and in July 2016 a new Airman Family Readiness Center will be its neighbor to the east.

When the new clinic is in operation, the current facility will be demolished. Bender, who began with the clinic as a secretary but retired in 2008 as a chief of quality management, said that will naturally be a sad day for her.

“That holds a lot of memories,” Bender said. “One of the things I liked so well was the camaraderie and cohesiveness of the staff. They really took care of each other, and in turn took care of the patients.”