Army Reserve debuts new energy-efficient Soldier center

Published May 2, 2013
By Staff Sgt. Shawn Morris
99th Regional Support Command

FORT A.P. HILL, Va. -- The Army Reserve hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new energy-efficient Army Reserve Center April 25, 2013, here.

The event was hosted by Maj. Gen. William D. Razz Waff, 99th Regional Support Command commander headquartered at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

"Spending many a winter in temporary World War II buildings on the shores of Lake Michigan at Fort Sheridan, I certainly never had anything like this myself," said Waff of the new facility. "This is absolutely first class."

Joining Waff as part of the official party were John Knapp, Virginia state director for U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, as well as Mayor David W. Storke of Bowling Green, Va., and Mayor Nancy Long of Port Royal, Va.

"This facility is magnificent," said Knapp, who served in the Army Reserve. "When a young Soldier walks into a facility like this, he walks in feeling like, 'The Army cares about me.'"

The $12 million complex consists of a 32,917-square-foot training center, 7,433-square-foot organizational maintenance shop and 1,065-square-foot unheated storage building, and is certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold, exceeding the minimum federal LEED Silver requirement.

The facility includes a geothermal heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, tankless hot water heating and LED interior lighting.

"This is a unique facility in the 99th RSC's 13-state region, in that it is the only example of geothermal energy we have," Waff said.

The center is part of the Grow the Army program, which supports the Army's goal of maintaining Soldier readiness while meeting mission requirements through the creation of new facilities and units.

This facility will be home to the Army Reserve's 310th Multi-Role Bridge Company, whose mission it is to transport, assemble, disassemble, maintain and retrieve Army bridging systems. The unit was activated here during a ceremony held Oct. 13, 2012.

"We applaud the Grow the Army program and the goals of sustaining our force readiness and capabilities, to preserve the quality of life for our soldiers and our citizens, and protect our country," Long said.

The 180 Soldiers of this unit will use this state-of-the-art facility to ensure that the Army Reserve continues to provide trained and ready troops to the nation.

"We look forward to having you here, and keep doing the good things that you do," Storke said to the Soldiers in attendance.