MARIETTA, Ga. — The Georgia National Guard opened a newly renovated training center in metro Atlanta.
The ribbon cutting and reopening of the South Cobb Readiness Center in Marietta was held on Friday by members of the Georgia National Guard’s 78th Troop Command and 781st Troop Command Detachment.
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“This ceremony represents a culmination of years, not months, but years of hard work, dedication and unwavering commitment to a vision,” Army Maj. Gen. Richard Wilson, commander of the Georgia National Guard, said in a statement.
Now open again, the South Cobb armory will serve as the headquarters of both the 78th Troop Command Detachment and 781st.
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The 38,000-square foot facility renovations cost $11 million and included an update to the facility’s electrical, plumbing and lighting infrastructure, as well as structural upgrades and an overhaul of the heating and air conditioning systems, according to officials.
The State Operational Asset Readiness Program funded the renovations, through a combination of state and federal funding, to remodel military facilities to sustain and maintain aging locations.
“Basically, we do a regeneration of the facility with the goal of giving it another 30 years of being a functional building and a safe place for our Soldiers to come work, store their equipment, and have a setting to conduct their operations,” U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jason Westmoreland, director of the Georgia Army National Guard Construction and Facilities Management Office, said.
Westmoreland characterized the renovation projects as necessary for the overall quality of life for members of the Georgia Army National Guard.
The 78th Training Command serves as a support unit for mobilizations and overseas deployment training missions, according to officials, while also providing support to domestic response missions. The 781st provides command and control units to the 78th, ranging in size from three to 150 soldiers.
“This is a proud day for our community,” U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Theodore Scott III, commander of the 78th Troop Command, said. “This milestone highlights not only our commitment to those who serve, but also the incredible support of our members across Cobb County who help make it all possible.”
Scott added that he was excited for the 78th to call the South Cobb Readiness Center home.
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