Security is Paramount for U.S. Air Force Research Lab Relocation
Top Security and Care for Government Lab Move
Relocating the Aeronautical Research Lab at Dobbins Air Reserve Base required top-level security and specialized handling for high-value precision equipment in this classified lab. Ace Relocation delivered flawlessly.
CLIENT
Dobbins Air Reserve Base
BUSINESS
Aeronautical Research Lab
ORIGINATION
Marietta, GA
DESTINATION
Marietta, GA
MATERIALS MOVED
- Heavy lab equipment requiring weight distributing equipment to ensure floor load was not exceeded.
- Delicate glassware and sensitive electronics requiring padded and antistatic wrap.
- Calibrated lab equipment.
- Classified documents.
KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- The lab had multiple classified rooms which did not allow for photography, drawings, or documentation of any kind. Multiple comprehensive site visits were conducted to commit details to memory in lieu of traditional documentation.
- Shoulder-to-shoulder military security throughout packing and loading process.
- Once loaded, trucks were locked/secured, and chain-of-custody seals were applied.
- Military security escorted the trucks from origin to destination and remained with crews throughout the opening, unloading, and delivery of all materials.
THE STORY
The Dobbins Air Reserve Base was relocating its Aeronautical Research Lab to a new location that required all items to be transported on public roads. Due to the classified nature of the lab, and the need for all items to leave the reserve base, clearance and security were paramount. The high value and sensitive nature of the precision lab equipment required specialized handling and an extraordinary level of care. Ace Relocation met both of those requirements flawlessly.
PROJECT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
Throughout the Project Planning and Management Ace Relocation worked closely with Dobbins personnel, including the lab safety manager, a dedicated project manager, and the building engineer. The Project Planning presented a unique challenge in that the lab had multiple classified rooms which did not allow for any photography, drawings, or documentation of any kind. Multiple comprehensive site visits were conducted to commit details to memory in lieu of traditional documentation. During the 7-week timeframe, project meetings were held 3 times per week and safety meetings were held twice per day, with all crews required to complete the JSA (Job Safety Analysis) every morning. All drivers and crews received military base clearance.
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
Ace Relocation transported 40 truckloads of materials during the lab relocation. Shoulder-to-shoulder military security was required throughout the packing and loading process. Once loaded, trucks were locked/secured, and chain-of-custody seals were applied. Military security escorted the trucks from origin to destination and remained with crews throughout the opening, unloading, and delivery of all materials.
PROCUREMENT OF SUPPLIES
After thorough assessment of all items needing to be moved and stored, Ace Relocation identified and procured the appropriate supplies/consumables required, including specialized materials required for highly-sensitive lab equipment.
PACKING/UNPACKING SERVICES
The items being moved required diverse packing strategies and tactics. For heavy lab equipment, a building engineer was involved as the secondary floor was not stable enough to support moving the items. Special floats and rigging teams installed weight distributing equipment to ensure floor load was not exceeded. Delicate glassware and sensitive electronics required padded and antistatic wrap.
REMOVAL AND DISPOSAL SERVICES
Several items were sent to a surplus area on the base. Ace Relocation and the project PM coordinated with the surplus and disposition team to arrive with a specific list of declassified and decommissioned items. Nothing could simply be thrown away. Everything had to be delivered to surplus for the military to determine if it was authorized for disposal, destruction, or repurposing.
