AFOSI celebrates the grand opening of the Russell-Knox Building at MCB Quantico with fellow RKB tenants

  • Published
  • By Mr. James C. Dillard
  • AFOSI Public Affairs
Representatives from a variety of state and federal agencies gathered to officially celebrate the grand opening of the Russell-Knox Building at Quantico Marine Corps Base, Va., Sept. 19.
The RKB houses five agencies, including the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Defense Security Service, the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
The keynote speaker for the ceremony was U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. (ret.) E. Gray Payne, who was the commander of MCB Quantico when the RKB project began.
He reflected on the project as it progressed from birth to conclusion.
"The construction went remarkably smooth," General Payne said. "It speaks to the professionalism of the agencies involved with the project."
He said he felt honored to have had a part in the construction of the building.
"This project really is an outstanding accomplishment," he said. "I can't remember ever in my professional life where so many agencies came together and approached a project with such a can-do attitude."
The RKB came about as a result of the Co-locate Military Department Investigative Agencies project, which was authorized by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure initiative. The RKB is more than 718,000 sq. ft. and the compound covers encompasses more than 100 acres. The building is named after U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. John Henry Russell, Jr., and U.S. Navy Commodore Dudley Wright Knox.
AFOSI officially took up residence in the RKB in April, ahead of the BRAC mandated schedule.