Ground breaking ceremonies for final two Civil Affairs battalions

By Jerry Green, 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne) Public Affairs OfficerSeptember 16, 2015

Ground breaking ceremonies for final two Civil Affairs battalions
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Scot Storey, 95th Civil Affairs Brigade commander, addresses more than 50 civil affairs Soldiers and civilian contractors during ground breaking ceremonies Sept. 9, 2015 on the Yarbrough complex, Fort Bragg, N.C. The site is the location for th... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Ground breaking ceremonies for final two Civil Affairs battalions
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Nathaniel Hermann, U.S. Army Special Operations Command Resident Engineer, U.S Army Corps of Engineer, explains how the two new civil affairs facilities will be constructed with materials designed to provide an energy efficient environment, during g... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Ground breaking ceremonies for final two Civil Affairs battalions
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The first scoops of dirt is sent flying during ground breaking ceremonies for the new civil affairs battalion facilities on the Yarbrough complex, Fort Bragg, N.C., Sept. 9, 2015. Taking part in the ceremonies (left to right) is Lt. Col. William Wilk... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News)--More than 50 civil affairs Soldiers and civilian contractors gathered to observe ground breaking ceremonies, Sept 9, 2015, for the 92nd and 96th Civil Affairs Battalion headquarters buildings at the site known as the Yarbrough complex on Fort Bragg.

"Today marks a special day in the history of 95th Civil Affairs Brigade, "said Col. Scot Storey, 95th Civil Affairs Brigade commander. "As we break ground today, these two buildings will complete the civil affairs site here on the Yarbrough complex, and when they are finished, it will be the first time we can completely place our foot print in a central location on Fort Bragg."

Ten years ago the Army civil affairs Soldiers operated in the gray space of special operations warfare said Storey. The brigade was spread throughout Fort Bragg, carrying on operations in the old World War II facilities, defunct printing warehouses and other locations where ever there was space.

"When we arrived here five years ago the ammo dump bunkers were still in place," said Nathaniel Hermann, USASOC resident engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers "It will take a year to construct these two buildings and when done, the more than 1,900 civil affairs personnel will have a brigade headquarters surrounded by the five battalions, all in close proximity.

"Today there are more than 200 civil affairs Soldiers deployed in the world out of this brigade", said Storey. "Consolidating all of the CA assets in one location will allow us to train and prepare our teams to deploy, and better support the teams while they are deployed. This is huge."

While Storey and his team moved to the site and manned the gold shovels, work was continuing in the background as the final touches to the brigade headquarters facility are almost complete. The headquarters facility is due to be turned over to the brigade by December, 2015.

The new buildings will include administrative space, conference rooms, classrooms, group operations center, along with unit storage areas, lockers, toilets, showers, and required mechanical, electrical and communication rooms.

"This is a very important day as we look at the history of the brigade," said Storey. "Civil affairs operators will move forward from here continuing to bring order to chaos."

The 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne) comprised of five regional battalion is responsible for training, equipping and deploying forces in 26 countries to conduct civil affairs operations. For more information about the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne), go to Civil Affairs Recruiting at http://www.bragg.army.mil/sorb/CA.htm.