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AUSTIN, Texas - The Bee Caves Armory received an upgrade this summer thanks to the vision of the 71st Troop Command team, support from the Construction and Facilities Management Office and the carpentry skills of Texas Army National Guardsman Sgt. Nathan Geurkink.
With some minor adjustments, a fresh coat of paint, and some skilled craftsmanship, the Cold War era building was turned into a more functional training space.
Sgt. Maj. Jason Morrow of the 71st Troop Command was a driving force in coordinating the talent of available Soldiers and the resources from the CFMO.
“We upgraded the gym to provide a space that inspires and motivates our Soldiers,” Morrow said. “This upgrade will also help the readiness of our unit in preparation for the Army Combat Fitness Test.”
The restoration has long been needed in the space, but with more than 150 armories in Texas, the CFMO had so far been unable to dedicate the manpower needed.
“We have many avenues that commanders can use to improve their armories,” said Peter Byers, maintenance supervisor for CFMO. “Projects are limited by the drive of a commander.”
The current focus of the CFMO is STAR Projects, which update aging buildings to current Department of Defense standards in order to provide a safe and functional area to work in and to maintain readiness. As such,
building hazards that endanger life, safety, health, or occupation take precedence.
But projects like this still have to be cleared by the CFMO.
“Self-help projects like this one are not common, but they’re not unheard of,” Byers said. “If a commander wants something like this, they just contact our office and submit a request.”
The Bee Cave gym project met specific guidelines from the CFMO. It did not add to or detract from the foundational building, yet the upgrades greatly increased functionality.
Through following this process, Geurkink was able to get supplies and some funding for the project.
“The on-hand supplies are dependent on funding,” Byers said. “Usually we have supplies for cleaning, plumbing, painting, sheetrock, and some carpentry.”
The improvement was a success largely because of the professional diversity of the Texas National Guard’s ability to utilize the unique skills that its Citizen-Soldiers bring to the table.
While in uniform, Geurkink supports Troop Command’s supply operations as a traditional Guardsman, but he owns a construction company in the Dallas-Metro area when not in uniform. His work and expertise drove the vision to fruition.
“I came in, and there was asbestos in the floor, outdated wood paneling and the HVAC system was outdated,” Geurkink said. “I restored the ceiling, redid the flooring without disturbing the asbestos and updated the paint.”
Because of Geurkink’s expertise, the project cost the organization a fraction of what it normally would have.
As the units training at the Bee Caves facility continue to grow, Sgt. Maj Morrow sets his sights toward using all available space for training and to maintaining the highest standards for Troop Command Soldiers.
“With three units drilling here, we have to find the maximum utilization of our space,” Morrow said. “Sgt. Geurkink did a fantastic job, but I have plans to continue to update our training area in order to keep a ready force.”
The project is ongoing; the next phase of repairs is scheduled to include the installation a new air conditioning system and a classroom for multi-unit use.
| Date Taken: | 10.01.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 10.09.2018 12:11 |
| Story ID: | 295435 |
| Location: | AUSTIN, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 97 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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