Higher Grounds reopens

Pablo Publico, 95th Air Base Wing Civil Engineer Division Space Optimization team lead (center left), and Airman 1st Class Antawn Knight, 95th Comptroller Squadron (center right), cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open up the new Higher Grounds Internet Café in Bldg. 2511, May 20, along with some members of Team Edwards who made the move happen. Higher Grounds was relocated to a more centralized place for Airmen in the dorms to hang out. (Air Force photo by Kenji Thuloweit)

Higher Grounds cafe 2011

Left to right: Airman 1st Class Shalom Voisin, 95th Medical Operations Squadron, Chief Master Sgt. Bill Thomaston, 95th Air Base Wing command chief, James Judkins, 95th Civil Engineering Division director, and Airman 1st Class Antawn Knight, 95th Comptroller Squadron, play Call of Duty on Higher Grounds Internet Café?s PlayStation 3. The café officially opened May 20 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Higher Grounds has three Xboxes, wireless and wired internet, and the PS3. It was moved to Bldg. 2511, which is centrally located in dormitory area. (Air Force photo by Kenji Thuloweit)

Higher Grounds moved and improved

Published May 25, 2011
By Kenji Thuloweit
95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Edwards Airmen who live in the unaccompanied dorms now have a semi-new place to relax and hang out.

Units from Team Edwards came together to relocate the Higher Grounds Internet Café to Bldg. 2511.

95th Air Base Wing's Civil Engineering Division, Communications Squadron, Chapel Office along with Edwards' First Four group, joined forces to relocate the café, which was previously in Bldg. 2423.

The air base wing conducted a swap to bring Higher Grounds to a more centralized location for Airmen to hang out. The new café replaces the Consolidated Dormitory Management Office, which is now in Bldg. 2423, where the old internet café was.

"The command has done a great job of listening to our requests," said Airman 1st Class Antawn Knight, 95th Comptroller Squadron and First Four president. "Part of the reason we wanted to move Higher Grounds was to bring it closer to the center of the dorms. It brings a little bit of home to the Airmen."

The café has wireless and wired internet connections. For gamers, three Xboxes and a PlayStation 3 are available. The consoles are connected to flat screen TVs.

The Oasis Community Center donated one Xbox to the new location.

Edwards' First Four counsel, which represents Airmen from E-1 to E-4, will be responsible for the manning and upkeep of the café.

Airman Knight said Higher Grounds will be open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays, from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 8 p.m.