On Tuesday, JBSA-Lackland is set to unveil the latest addition to its facilities, a new multi-million dollar aquatics center dedicated to the memory of a true American hero. The center is named after Master Sergeant Michael Maltz, a pararescueman who made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan in 2003, according to a report by KENS 5. Maltz, a New Yorker, is to be honored at the grand opening of the center, aptly dubbed the Maltz Special Warfare Aquatic Training Center.
The facility, boasting a whopping price tag of $60 million, is outfitted with two Olympic-sized swimming pools designed to meet an elite level of training requirements for U.S. Air Force personnel. But the aquatic center is much more than a couple of high-grade pools; the 76,000 square foot complex also includes human performance spaces which encompass a medical exam room and a therapy bay, as per military officials' outline of the project.
For those in the Air Force’s offensive ground force, the center isn't mere infrastructure—it's a cutting-edge establishment aimed at enhancing the readiness and capabilities of service members. The center's ties to Maltz deepen beyond the nomenclature; Master Sergeant Maltz had served as a pararescue instructor at JBSA-Lackland, shaping the futures of incoming candidates.
The official opening ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning, and it's expected to draw military dignitaries, local community leaders, and those who hold a sense of reverence for the fallen soldier's legacy.
