TROUTVILLE. Va. –
The Virginia National Guard broke ground on the expansion of the Roanoke Regional Readiness Center Complex March 2, 2023, in Troutville, Virginia. Retired Maj. Gen. Craig Crenshaw, Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs, and Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, joined state and local government officials for the ceremony.
“This is an exciting moment,” Crenshaw said. He thanked the local government leaders for their support and said the expanded facility will be a place where Soldiers can “continue to thrive, continue to meet the mission.”
The current complex officially opened in August 2017 and is the home of the 29th Infantry Division Band and Field Maintenance Shop #10. The expansion will increase the maintenance capabilities and provide training, administrative and storage space for two additional units using a combination of new construction and renovation of existing buildings.
“We are incredibly excited to break ground on the expansion of the Roanoke Regional Readiness Center Complex and improve the capabilities of an already great facility,” Williams said. “Once complete, the expanded facility will provide improved maintenance response in the region and additional personnel available if needed for response operations.”
Williams credited the hard work of the VNG’s facilities management team for developing the project with the vendor as well as the support of state government agencies and local government officials in the area. By utilizing this site and most of its existing facilities, the VNG saved the taxpayers significant money and limited environmental impacts as compared to building an all-new facility while providing a capability to more efficiently support national defense and state public safety missions, he said.
The project consists of three main parts:
- New construction of an approximately 33,500 square foot readiness center building. Note: the term “readiness center” is now used instead of “armory.”
- Renovation of an approximately 12,000 square foot building for storage and support to the readiness center.
- Construction of an approximately 16,300 square foot maintenance building to expand on existing FMS capabilities into the VNG’s second combined support maintenance shop.
The construction is expected to require about 24 months to complete, Williams said.
Approximately 100 personnel work at 13 FMSs spread out over different locations throughout the state with the mission to provide field maintenance support for surface equipment beyond the capabilities of supported VNG units. The FMS maintains authorized repair parts and supplies and performs preventive maintenance procedures as well as replacement of major components such as engines and transmissions. It also provides contact teams to repair equipment and return it to the unit to conduct operations and training. They also provide maintenance support to VNG units conducting domestic response operations.
A CSMS performs field and sustainment maintenance support on a wide variety of equipment, including heavy and light wheeled vehicles, trailers and generators with specialty shops that provide additional capabilities not performed at an FMS such as welding, painting, machine work, small arms, electronics, artillery, optical instrument and calibration. There is a CSMS currently located at Defense Supply Center Richmond, and what will be known as “CSMS-West” in Troutville will provide expanded capabilities for units in the region requiring less travel time to get needed work accomplished.
Additional background information:
The Virginia National Guard secured the site of the former Botetourt Correctional Center in June 2015. The Botetourt Correctional Center closed in the winter of 2010 and was declared surplus state property. It was transferred to the Virginia National Guard at no cost.
The total site area is approximately 56.5 acres in Troutville, located at State Drive and Route 651, east of I-81 and north of Roanoke. It is adjacent to a Virginia State Police shooting range and a Virginia Department of Transportation regional maintenance facility.
The 29th Infantry Division Band consists of 40 enlisted Soldiers and one chief warrant officer. Its mission is to support the Virginia National Guard with musical performances around the state. A group of Soldiers from the band recently returned from Kuwait where they performed at the transfer of authority ceremony for the 29th Infantry Division as they ended their federal active-duty mission.
In addition to the full band, the 29th Infantry Division Band contains 18 different musical performance teams. These include the concert band, marching band, ceremonial band, rock band, jazz ensemble, jazz combo, brass ensemble, brass quintet, saxophone ensemble, clarinet ensemble, flute ensemble, trombone ensemble, an F horn/euphonium ensemble, the fife and drum, the color guard and a sound reinforcement team.