KNIGHTDALE, N.C. -- The 81st Regional Support Command hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new Army Reserve Center here on June 1.
This $18.9 million building was constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers. The 81,072 square foot facility will house five reserve units. The construction of this site is a part of the Base Realignment and Closure process that was announced in 2005.
Maj. Gen Gill Beck, Commander for the 81st Regional Support Command along with several distinguished guest took the opportunity to pin point how important this opportunity is for Army Reserve and the Knightdale community.
Beck expressed how great it was to finally have a home for the 518th Sustainment Brigade. "This unit has moved from Durham to Cary and various other iterations and now to have this great facility here for them to train and continue in their very important mission," said Beck "As we move forward I look forward to seeing all the great things that the 518th does."
The 518th stayed in Durham for a year until the building failed an inspection and was considered condemned. Soldiers had to park their cars in unsafe locations were there cars were getting broken into and tires were being slashed.
SPC Angela Trumbo, Geospatial engineer with the 518th has been with the unit since October 2009. Conditions improved once the unit moved to a facility in Cary where the unit stayed until the Knightdale site was complete.
"The new building is Eco-friendly, it's nice and clean we have parking and everyone has their own workspace," said Trumbo. "Here at Knightdale everything is around us and the businesses love us. It is really convenient and they picked a good location."
This project symbolized a new beginning between the Army Reserve and the local community according to many of the speakers. The 518th has already started building a relationship with the Knightdale community. In the near future they will be assisting the local high school in building their Junior Army ROTC program and in return the 518th will be able to use their track to conduct their annual physical fitness test.
"Through building our relationship with the city both the 518th and Knightdale will be stronger," said Col. Terri Duenas, Commander for the 518th Sustainment Brigade. "And we look forward to being a model for military and civilian interaction."
Duenas also thanked her Soldiers for their flexibility. Their mission is to sustain the war fighter on the battlefield. "Now that we have a home, plenty of to grow and a world class maintenance facility, we look forward to the outstanding training opportunities ahead of us. We are happy to have our home and look forward to establishing roots," said Duenas.
The 518th is still considered a new organization they started out having only 20 people in the unit now they will have close to 600. The new facility will also home 346th Engineering Clearance Company, 1006th Quartermaster Company, 492nd Brigade Signal Company and the 479th Engineering Clearance Platoon.
Trumbo travels an hour and a half to come to Knightdale for drill and doesn't mind traveling the distance. "I love it here this place makes you want to come to drill," she said.
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