Team Fairchild, Spokane County sign first-ever IGSA to enhance defender training

  • Published
  • By Capt. Kaitlin Holmes
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Representatives from Fairchild Air Force Base, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, and the Spokane County Board of Commissioners signed a one-of-a-kind Intergovernmental Support Agreement (IGSA) for the Spokane Regional Indoor Small Arms Range Partnership on March 15, 2021.

The signing event culminated an 8-year effort to forge a partnership between the three entities. The agreement is the first of its kind between the Air Force and a local government to jointly utilize facilities benefitting a military installation and local government. It eliminates building duplicate facilities for each entity, saving taxpayer money.

“We here at Fairchild are thrilled for the opportunity to further our great relationship with our Spokane community partners,” said Col. Cassius T. Bentley, 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander. “It gives us a chance to best utilize limited resources in order to provide a capability that both Spokane County and the Air Force mission needs.”

Located on Spokane County property, just minutes from the front gate of Fairchild, the Spokane Regional Indoor Small Arms Range will be the first facility to provide a venue primarily for Air Force and Sheriff’s Office instructors to train Airmen and Deputies simultaneously.

The first public to public partnership of its kind for the Air Force, the goal of this partnership is to best utilize limited resources to provide a capability that Spokane County and the Air Force need to ensure mission readiness.

"One of my most important goals for the Sheriff’s Office is to provide the highest level of training to our staff,” said Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich. “This is the first agreement of its kind for the U.S. military and will be a flagship facility that will provide unique training opportunities for law enforcement and Air Force personnel.”

This indoor firing range will consist of 21 lanes, 50 meters in length, and will include classrooms, offices, and an armory on site. The flagship facility will provide facilities and features that will enhance all unique training capabilities and skillsets. The range will be housed fully indoors with adjustable lighting to enable daylight, dusk or nighttime conditions. It can simulate multiple potential environments and will be able to accommodate vehicles inside the facility to further enhance training. The range will be fully owned by Spokane County with Fairchild and the Sheriff’s Office being the primary tenants.

Fairchild leadership expects that this facility will serve as a model for other bases.