FORT RILEY, Kan. - The weather may not have been warm and clear, but the sun was definitely shining on the 1st Sustainment Brigade, 1st Infantry Division March 9 as the brigade snipped the ribbon and officially opened the doors to its brand new headquarters and complex.
Brig. Gen. Perry Wiggins, commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, said the unveiling was one more step being taken to improve capabilities of facilities and quality of life and work place for Soldiers.
"They're custom rigs," Wiggins said. "The thought that went behind each one of these nooks and crannies was very detailed. From the layout of the halls, down to the individual Soldier's personal equipment lockers, all are tailored to facilitate command and control, accountability and standardization, unit training, quality of work and life for the Soldier and capability for the brigade to accomplish their mission."
The $65 million complex took 14 months to complete and houses the brigade's 55,204-square foot headquarters, Special Troops Battalion, company operational facilities and motor pool.
The 1st Inf. Div. headquarters battalion and band also moved into buildings within the complex.
Col. Donnie Walker, commander of the 1st Sust. Bde., said the ceremony marked another milestone in the history of the brigade and finally allowed the brigade to establish its roots in the heart of the Central Flint Hills Region.
"In these beautiful new facilities, that are the first ever to be designed for an Army modular sustainment brigade, here lies the resources and opportunities to successfully train, hone our war fighting skills, support the division and Fort Riley with critical sustainment war fighting functions and prepare our Soldiers and Families."
Walker also added the motor pool and cubicles are much more conducive to the workspace needs of Soldiers.
"I think certainly the motor pool is a state of the art facility," Walker said. "That's certainly a definite upgrade in the facilities we were working with down the street. So much more advanced equipment will help our Soldiers maintain their equipment in the long run."
Social Sharing