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Delaware National Guard's new facility opens

Delaware National Guard

The Delaware Army National Guard cuts the ribbon on a new maintenance facility at its River Road training site in New Castle.

 

The new state-of-the-art Combined Support Maintenance Shop cost $36 million with most of the money coming from federal funds.

The 62,000 square foot facility is an upgrade from the two small original maintenance shops.

The Delaware National Guard received design approval for the building in 2016 with construction beginning in 2018.

The construction was completed last December - a month ahead of schedule.

Fred Cost is the Delaware Army National Guard Construction and Facilities Management Officer, and he says the new facility is made for current and future vehicles to be serviced.

"This CSMS replaces the existing CSMS which was built in 1952, Korean War. Consider the generations of ground vehicles since then. We had the jeep, we had the old deuce and a halves, we had the Cut V series, we had the humvee series, FMVT's now, and who knows what's next, right? One way or the other we need to be prepared for the vehicle fleets of the future in this building."

Cost notes that this project was established as a need by the Guard well over a decade ago. 

Major General Michael Berry is the Delaware National Guard Adjutant General, and he says it’s time to move the traditional hard work to the new facility.

"On the day when we get to cut the ribbon to the new home for the new generations of mechanics we can only hope that the dedication - that we know will - that the dedication and the professionalism that was for so long created over in that building, generated over in that building, that it's maintained in this building."

The state of the art facility is designed to meet directed organizational and equipment changes within the Delaware Army National Guard.

 

Joe brings over 20 years of experience in news and radio to Delaware Public Media and the All Things Considered host position. He joined DPM in November 2019 as a reporter and fill-in ATC host after six years as a reporter and anchor at commercial radio stations in New Castle and Sussex Counties.
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