Will you be a new dorm resident? Published Nov. 4, 2009 By Airman 1st Class Artemy Shpakovsky Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- With the influx of new Airmen on base there are a few new dormitories scheduled to be built here by contractors hired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the near future. One of these dormitories is scheduled to be completed by February 2010. "The contract for construction of the second dorm was awarded in September of 2009," said Renetta J. Pearson, 5th Civil Engineer Squadron asset management flight chief. "It will house 168 Airmen and will cost about $21 million. The project is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act." The dormitories are being built not only for reducing the overpopulation in the current dorm buildings; they are also meant to improve the living conditions of new Airmen here. The construction of the first building cost about $17 million. "Right now, we are painting the third floor units, and putting sheetrock on the first floor," said Jeff Engerbretser, dorm construction site superintendent. "And with this, most of the work will be done - all that's left will be wiring and outfitting the insides of the units." The assembly of the dorm began in the fall of 2008. Now that work is nearing completion, Minot AFB senior leadership is getting ready to transfer some of the new Airmen from old to new base dormitories. "The criteria for getting into the new base dorms is the same as the criteria for getting into the old base dorms," said Col. James M. Gallagher, 5th Mission Support Group commander." They are Senior Airmen or below with less than three years time in service." The colonel also said Minot senior leadership has decided Honor Guard members will be some of the first occupants in the new dorm building. "This is done in recognition of their valuable service to our base and community," Colonel Gallagher said. The official move-in date has not been set yet; however, Minot senior leadership projects it to be in late March to early April 2010. "Our Airmen at Minot AFB play an extremely important role in ensuring our nation has a capable, strategic deterrence," said Colonel Gallagher. "With the extreme weather conditions we operate under and the long hours we ask our Airmen to work, we need to make sure the living quarters we provide -- whether in family housing or the dorms -- is top notch." "Due to the tight housing market downtown it is imperative that we have dorms for our unaccompanied junior enlisted personnel," he added. "And, when we provide them with a room it should be a place they can call home."