U.S. flag flies over former ARPC building

  • Published
  • By Cindy Dewey
  • ARPC Public Affairs
DENVER --  In the beautiful Colorado weather, the U.S. flag flew once again over the now closed Air Reserve Personnel Center located on the former Lowry Air Force Base today.

Members of the ARPC Honor Guard, Staff Sgts. Cindy Rodriguez, Letitia Edwards and Ashley Kidder, raised the flag in honor of the retirement of the center's 29th commander, Maj. Gen. Eric Crabtree.

Crabtree, now the commander of the Standing Joint Force Headquarters for Elimination of Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Deputy Director, Center for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction, U.S. Strategic Command, Fort Belvoir, Va., will retire March 29 after more than 35 years of service.

Members of the center relocated to their current facility on Buckley AFB in August 2011. The former building is expected to be demolished beginning this spring.

Returning to the building after more than a year, it was humbling to still feel at home. "Today was the first time I have been back since we relocated to Buckley," Edwards said. "So many memories ran through my mind. For instance, reveille/retreat, group PT, our summer picnics, and the geese. I remember playing soccer on the fields for PT while trying to avoid the geese and the guards' smiling faces at the gate and front desk checking our IDs. It felt like old times even though the smiling faces were gone and the weeds were tall. Today was a good day to reflect where we came from."

"Stepping on the old Lowry grounds brought a mix of emotions," Rodriguez said. "I was reminded of many events that took place there, reminiscing on memories from the annual squadron picnic to the last retreat made me feel a little sad. The building didn't seem the same at all, the previous gate guards were not there and neither were the people. Nonetheless, it was nice to visit one last time."

ARPC located at 6760 E. Irvington Place in Denver is no more, but the quality customer service reigns strong at the superb facility located on Buckley AFB.