New $40 million Armed Forces Reserve Center opens at Dyess
september 9, 2011
By Charles G. Anderson Sr. Special to the Reporter-News
The $40 million Armed Forces Reserve Center, providing a new home for Texas Army National Guard and Army Reserve personnel, was dedicated Thursday at Dyess Air Force Base.
Dyess AFB 7th Bomb Wing Commander Col. David Been and Brig. Gen. Lester Simpson, commander of the 176th Engineer Brigade of the Army National Guard, led officials in cutting a red, white and blue ribbon to open the facility.
About 300 personnel — from as far away as Snyder, Weatherford and Fort Davis — will train at the new facility, which includes a 71,000-square foot building for training and a 30,000-square foot vehicle and equipment maintenance center.
The building also provides office space.
Previously guardsmen trained on South Ninth Street, near Rose Park, and reservists trained at a facility at 4300 S. Treadaway.
The separate facilities were combined and relocated to Dyess as a part of the Base Realignment and Closure commission.
It will house the Army Reserve's 413th Civil Affairs Battalion and the Texas Army National Guard 822nd Engineer Co., along with the 936th Engineer Team.
Been, 7th Bomb Wing commander, welcomed a large crowd of airmen, guardsmen, and reserve military personnel to the base and praised the Abilene community for its military support.
Speaking to those who would use the facilities, Been said they would have access to the chow hall and fitness center at Dyess.
Simpson told the troops, "This new facility will greatly benefit your training."
Simpson, who has just returned from Afghanistan, said troops there were helping locate roadside bombs and performing other duties. Simpson said the National Guard had also been busy with fighting wildfires in Texas.
Lt. Col. Jerry Cook of Fort Davis said. " ... Being on Dyess air base and using facilities here will help us fulfill our mission."
Cook is commander of the 413th Civil Affairs Battalion. Cook and his fellow reservists have just returned after a year in Africa. He said his group had previously been deployed to Iraq.
He said the mission of the AFRC personnel would continue to be that of supporting homeland security, enhancing anti-terrorism protection of the country, and assisting in local emergencies in the community, state or wherever they are needed.
© 2011 Scripps Newspaper Group — Online
