MARYSVILLE, Wash. - Army Reserve soldiers of the 364th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) officially opened the Marysville Armed Forces Reserve Center in Marysville, Wash., April 1, 2012. The new $33 million dollar facility houses 250 soldiers from the Army Reserve and 300 soldiers from the Washington Army National Guard. The center was opened as directed by the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act and is designed to support approximately 1,200 service members.
Many of the soldiers working at the new center were relocated from Seattle’s Fort Lawton, which officially closed, Feb. 25, 2012.
“This center is certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Committee, incorporating highly efficient, environmentally sound, and natural, disaster-safe construction measures into its design,” said Cpt. Allen Toepfer, an administrative officer with the 364th ESC.
More than 150 family members, friends, and local citizens toured the new facility, viewed the displayed military vehicles, and took advantage of the combat arms simulator room. The community is very supportive of the new center, said Jon Nehring, the mayor of the city of Marysville. “You will find a lot of welcome mats out here,” he said.
“The men and women of our armed services are actually some of the most significant members of our community,” added Nehring.
Nehring, along with mayor of the city of Arlington’s Barbara Tolbert, Maj. Gen. Glenn J. Lesniak, commander of the 88th Regional Support Command, Col. Phillip S. Jolly, commander of the 364th ESC, and Command Sgt. Maj. Vicki Briggs of the 364th ESC, had the pleasure of cutting the ribbon that marked the center’s official opening.
Soldiers with the Charlie Battery, 212th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, rendered a 21-cannon salute for the ceremony. As the salute was executed, Soldiers of the 364th ESC raised the AFRC’s flag.
The center provides soldiers with a fully equipped learning center, work bays for training, and a state of the art gym.
Langdon Wright, a cadet with Civil Air Patrol, said that she saw the event as a great opportunity to bring everyone together. “We have a good relationship with the military,” she said.
Wright is currently serving as the cadet commander and said that they use the center to hold their weekly CAP meetings.
“The community is allowing us to be out here,” said Lesniak. “[The center has support from] a community that is growing…and a community that’s modern,” he said.
The ceremony brought in nineteen community partners for the soldiers and the public including TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Joint Service Support, Military One Source, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Naval Station Everett Fleet and Family Support Center Smokey Point Complex, the Red Cross, USAA, and Worksource Snohomish County.
Additionally, the following community partners attended the event: Operation Homefront, an education adviser with the 88th RSC, Columbia College, the Navy Lodge, Veterans of Foreign Wars, USO, the American Legion, the Washington National Guard Family Programs, Army Reserve Family Programs and School Services, Jersey Mike’s Subs (Arlington), and the Smokey Point Commissary.
Date Taken: | 04.01.2012 |
Date Posted: | 04.03.2012 19:31 |
Story ID: | 86195 |
Location: | MARYSVILLE, WASHINGTON, US |
Web Views: | 2,068 |
Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Marysville Armed Forces Reserve Center opens, by SSG Ruth Harvie, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.