New drill pad to support ALS, Honor Guard Published Aug. 1, 2012 By Airman 1st Class Zachiah Roberson 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The Grand Forks AFB Airman Leadership School and Honor Guard will soon have a place allotted to them for practicing drill outdoors. The three main points to this construction are the deck, a sidewalk and a flag pole area. "We are building this project to provide the Airman Leadership School and honor guard with a place to use for drill and flag ceremony practice," said Staff Sgt. Christopher Cowan, a 319th Civil Engineer Squadron pavement and construction apprentice. Funding for the project came from the successful commitment of base personnel to the Government Travel Card program. Keeping delinquency rates on GTC balances below one percent is rewarded with quarterly rebates from Air Mobility Command to the installation. The 319th Civil Engineer Squadron tasked a small group with building the deck for the project. The hands-on experience CE personnel are receiving will also be beneficial for use in a deployed environment. "This work is helpful for the younger Airmen who have not deployed before," said Cowan. "It gives them some home station training and a basic foundation to utilize their skills in a deployed environment. Having this knowledge taught at home ensures they are not slowing down the mission overseas by needing additional field training." The 319th CES has other future base improvements planned as well. "This is only one of our tasked jobs at the moment, but we will be doing more to this base soon," said Cowan.