RED RIVER ARMY DEPOT, Texas – Depot team members, staff from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, state and city officials gathered Jan. 30 as Red River reopened its newly modernized wheeled vehicle repair facilities during a ribbon cutting ceremony.
RRAD Commander Col. Denis J. Fajardo was joined by Col. Calvin A. Kroeger, commander, Fort Worth District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the ceremony that showcased two newly renovated buildings with a cost totaling $42 million.
“This is a day we’ve all been anticipating as we began the revitalization of these buildings nearly four years ago,” Fajardo said. “This facility, as well as the one next to us, was originally built over 70 years ago. Many facilities, while having served us faithfully over the decades, are now at a stage where they require significant upgrades to continue to meet the demands of modern military operations.”
In 2020, the Red River team began what was referred to as the “raise the roof” project. The project not only physically raised the roof of two facilities by nearly 12 feet, but it also upgraded equipment within the buildings enabling the workforce to more effectively serve their primary customer: the Warfighter.
“In addition to the extremely positive impact these facilities will have on our production process, the improvements you see today incorporate additional safety measures designed to better protect our workforce,” Fajardo said. “As you look around, you will notice major equipment systems, new fall protection systems, a vehicle exhaust system, and overhead heavy-duty crane lift systems.”
The two buildings total 180,000 square feet and will allow for depot team members to conduct body surface repair, surface preparation and assembly processes for light and medium tactical vehicles.
“At the Corps of Engineers, we understand that your mission as the Army’s Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for tactical wheeled vehicles requires modern and world class facilities,” Kroeger said. “Look around you…facilities like this bring tremendous quality improvements for the workforce that truly enhance the Organic Industrial Base and ensure our Warfighters have the equipment they need whenever and wherever they need it.”
In addition to increasing the roof height and safety equipment upgrades, the renovations also widened the column space nearly 20 feet to allow larger assets to be reworked, if necessary.
“Retired General Dennis Via, former commanding general of the Army Materiel Command, once said that Red River and the Organic Industrial Base are a national security insurance policy,” Fajardo said. “Facilities like the one we stand in today are what we consider another premium payment into the national insurance policy.”
Fajardo ended his remarks by thanking anyone who played a role in ensuring the depot’s facilities received the modern upgrades.
“A modernized Red River Army Depot will stand as a testament to our unwavering commitment to the defense of our nation and the preservation of global stability,” he said.
Originally established in 1941, Red River Army Depot has a workforce consisting of nearly 2,200 government and contract employees. The depot continues to provide the highest quality manufacture, remanufacture, and repair services to a long list of Joint Service vehicles and components.
| Date Taken: | 02.10.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.10.2025 17:43 |
| Story ID: | 490497 |
| Location: | TEXARKANA, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 50 |
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