FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (July 5, 2013) -- A ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open an expansion of Fort Leonard Wood's Lt. Joseph Terry Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear First Responder Training Facility was held June 28 on post in combination with the Chemical Corps Regiment's 95th anniversary.
"The new wing will allow the facility to increase the number of students each year to more than 2,500," said Dan Arden, Lt. Terry Facility director.
Brig. Gen. Peggy Combs, U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School commandant, called the facility a "Field of Dreams" training facility.
"If you build it, they will come. And come they did. We have trained thousands of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, DoD personnel, FBI and several other federal agencies," Combs said. "This is the third expansion of this facility, and we are very proud of this achievement."
Combs called the facility the most unique training facility in the Department of Defense inventory and said the Secretary of the Army agreed with her during his recent visit to the installation.
"I asked him, 'What other facility has its own cave complex, railroad, urban terrain, pre-positioned car and truck wrecks, laboratories, classrooms and conducts tours by (John Deere) Gators?'" she said. "He replied, 'You're right, this is the most unique training facility,'" Combs said.
Training in the new expansion is set to begin in August, Combs said.
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Editor's note: The Fort Leonard Wood Guidon contributed to this story. www.myguidon.com
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