PRESS RELEASE

May 20, 2005

Lansing- A 9:30 a.m. groundbreaking ceremony, Monday, marked the beginning of construction for the Michigan National Guard's new Army Aviation Support Facility in Grand Ledge, Mich.

The $23.3 million flight operations and maintenance hangar, to be located north-west of the current building on Eaton Highway, will support approximately 80 full-time employees, 21 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and four light utility helicopters, replacing the smaller UH-1 Huey helicopters.

The 110,697 square foot main structure includes various aircraft maintenance specialty shops, a high-bay steel frame maintenance hangar capable of supporting 11 aircraft and an administrative area. A separate, unheated, 43,782 square foot aircraft storage hangar will house 14 aircraft. Other site expansions include associated taxiways and parking ramps.

The Lansing-based Christman Company will start construction next month and expect to finish by September 2006. Jacobs Engineering of Southfield, Mich., is the architect.

The current building will become a unit readiness center used to train approximately 400 Michigan Army Guard mechanics, pilots and administrative Soldiers.

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MEDIA ADVISORY Media was invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony.

From Lansing, take I-96 west to exit 86. Turn left onto M-100/Wright Road. Drive approximately two miles. Turn left onto Eaton Highway. Drive 0.4 miles, the facility in on the left.

For more information, contact Maj. Dawn Dancer at (517) 896-0860.