NY Army Guard engineers redo roof of Greenland military housing complex

KANGERLUSSUAQ, Greenland — The New York Air National Guard, New York Army National Guard and Greenland Airports teamed up to repair a lodging facility used by Airmen operating out of the airport in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland during the summer of 2026.

Soldiers assigned to the New York Army National Guard’s 204th Engineer Battalion added a pitched roof over the existing flat roof to prevent water from leaking into the building.

Fifty Soldiers, led by the 1156th Engineer Company, worked on the project during four rotations. These began in May and ended in September, according to Chief Warrant Officer 3 Reid Duncan, the 1156th engineering technician.

The New York Air Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing operates out of Kangerlussuaq’s airport when wing airman conduct training in Greenland each summer season.

"We've known for years that there's problems with the roof," said then Col. Eric Underhill, the deputy commander of the 109th Airlift Wing.

Underhill has since been promoted to brigadier general and now serves as the director of joint staff for the New York National Guard.

The 109th Airlift Wing operates from Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, each year from April through August to conduct mission-essential training and provide remote resupply support across the Greenland ice sheet.

Underhill began working with Greenland Airports two years ago to discuss facility improvements as part of a new operating agreement. Greenland Airports, which owns the building, initially sought a Greenlandic contractor to complete the work.

After no contractors accepted the project, Underhill proposed a partnership that would allow New York Army National Guard engineers to complete the construction during annual training.

"We have troops that have the capability," Underhill told the Greenlandic officials. "If you pay for the material and do the design, we'll do the work."

That job fell to the Soldiers of the 1156th Engineer Company which is based at Camp Smith Training Site near Peekskill.

The 1156th’s Soldiers are “vertical engineers” who specialize in building construction.

Under the agreement, Greenland Airports designed the roof and purchased the construction materials, while the New York Army National Guard provided the labor.

Duncan worked with Underhill during multiple site visits to evaluate the project before construction began. "This would not have happened if we didn't trust each other and we didn't have a good working relationship," Underhill said.

The project builds on work completed by New York Army National Guard engineers in Greenland during annual training last year. Underhill said that project demonstrated that the Soldiers could successfully complete construction projects in Greenland's remote environment.

Construction in Greenland requires months of planning. Greenland Airports procured the materials, which were manufactured in Denmark and then shipped to Greenland.

"The problem with the Arctic is the logistics and sustainment," Underhill said. "That's what makes the Arctic very difficult."

The weather was challenging Duncan said.

“The first rotation was the end of May to the beginning of June and there was a blinding snowstorm,” he said. “In the second rotation it was sunny and seventy, but by the time of the fourth rotation in September it was snowing again,” Duncan said.

Rather than removing the existing roof, the Soldiers built a new pitched roof over the original flat roof. The new design directs water away from the building instead of through the interior drainage system that contributed to years of leaks.

"We came out here to build a new roof over the existing failed roof," Duncan said.

The remote location creates additional challenges throughout construction.

"If something breaks, or you are short on material, it is a long turnaround to get a replacement," Duncan said. “Everything was shipped from Denmark.”

“It’s not like if my guys doing training here at Camp Smith. If we’re missing something we can run down to Home Depot. That is not an option there,” Duncan said.

“On out first rotation they went up there and they didn’t have all the things they needed, so they learned the hard way,” Duncan said.

In order to find enough troops to do the work, the 1156th also brought Soldiers from the 204th’s other company’s Duncan said.

“We got a lot of good cross training in,” he added.

"The project give Soldiers valuable experience completing a large-scale construction project while improving living conditions for Airmen supporting the 109th Airlift Wing's Arctic missions,” Duncan said.

"Jobs like this really show them what real construction is like," Duncan said. "We're not just building a 10-by-10 shed. This is a big job."

For Underhill, the completed roof represents more than a construction project.

Underhill said the project addresses concerns about the facility and will improve the quality of life for Airmen who regularly deploy to the location.

The 204th Engineer Soldiers, meanwhile, are preparing for another project in 2027. The battalion’s Soldiers who specialize in horizontal engineering – making roads, or concrete pads—are planning to upgrade a mile-long trail local residents use to access the hills to the east of Kangerlassaqua.

The trail allows ATV riders access to the area for tourist trips or to hunt, Duncan said.

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