First Army move on track

By First Army PAOMay 24, 2010

First Army move on track
Laying stones May 20 in front of the renovation site for First Army’s new headquarters at Rock Island Arsenal, Ill., are: Jim Russell, CEO of Russell Construction; Joel Himsl, Rock Island garrison manager; Lt. Gen. Thomas G. Miller, First Army comman... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. (May 21, 2010) -- First Army's planned move to Rock Island Arsenal next year is on track, officials said as they laid stones in front of the renovation site for their new headquarters.

First Army marked completion of the first construction phase of its future headquarters during a ceremony May 20.

First Army, currently at Fort Gillem, Ga., is slated to be operating on Rock Island Arsenal by June 2011. The move is part of the Base Realignment and Closure legislation.

The command's new headquarters, Building 68, dates to 1881 and is undergoing extensive renovations to accommodate an estimated 550 workers. About 130,000 square feet will be renovated, according to Mark Jacobson of the U.S. Corps of Engineers Louisville District.

Lt. Gen. Thomas G. Miller, First Army commander, participated in the ceremony at the construction site along with Jacobson and Rock Island officials.

"Mark your calendars," Miller said. "One year from today, this building's full."

The First Army mission is to mobilize, train, validate, and deploy both Army Reserve and National Guard units.