FORT CAMPBELL, KY. (USASOC News Service, Feb. 2, 2010) - A multi-million dollar construction project is currently under way to give the Soldiers of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) new, specially designed buildings. These updated facilities will accommodate both growing battalions and improve the overall preparation for future missions.

"The constant maintenance requirement made it virtually impossible to keep the facilities in decent repair," said Maj. Milton Kinslow, 5th Group Engineer Officer." The old facilities were originally built in 1952 and were not designed to last 60 years without significant renovation and refurbishment.""The facilities we have now are over 50 years old," said Sergeant 1st Class Patrick Marek, 5th Group Engineer Operations NCO."Having these new buildings will cut down on maintenance costs and will give the teams modernized office space."

Each battalion will be assigned a new building that will provide each team with its own office and deployment bay. Having these separate areas allow the teams to keep equipment needed for deployments in the bay, and gives them more room for their personalized equipment.

The old buildings were 35,000 square feet, depending on the floor plan and past renovations."This was part of the challenge of the old buildings," said Kinslow."They were buildings that were designed for a different purpose. Everything was very disorganized and hard to operate out of." Each new building will be around 120,000 square feet and hold approximately 450 people.

"We have better temperature control in these buildings," said Sergeant Dustin DeShaney, 3rd Battalion S2 Clerk."In the old buildings, the heat wouldn't work right in the winter and the air conditioners wouldn't work right in the summer.""I feel this is a step in the right direction," said Kinslow."These are purpose built facilities, made to house a Special Forces battalion. They are easy to operate in and deploy out of. They are much more efficient than the old buildings."

Before the new buildings were constructed, the entire battalion could not fit into one building. The battalion staff was located in one and the line companies were in another. Now, the entire battalion's assets are centrally located, providing unrealized benefits.

"Having the whole battalion in one place helps me because now I don't have to worry about securing two different buildings and it allows for easier access," said DeShaney.

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (USASOC News Service, Jan. 21, 2010) - For the second year in a row, a Soldier from 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) was named the United States Army Special Operations Command Special Forces Medic of the Year.  Sgt. 1st Class Owen Wendelin of B Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th SFG (A) received the award for actions performed while serving in Afghanistan and at Fort Campbell.

Wendelin raced to each man rendering life saving measures, placing his own life at risk.  He gave medical treatment while returning effective weapons fire.  Wendelin continued these actions until a helicopter could medically evacuate his injured team members. While on patrol in Helmund Province in northeast Afghanistan, Wendelin's Operational Detachment-Alpha came under heavy and accurate fire from machine guns, small arms and rocket propelled grenades.  Several members of the patrol were injured by small arms.