SEA GIRT, N.J. - The New Jersey National Guard Training Center at Sea Girt has long been considered one of the a top training sites in the northeastern United States for both Soldiers and civilian first responders.
The quality of the facilities is about to match its reputation for excellence.
Ground was broken on Aug. 27 on an 86,000 square-foot training center that will house officer candidates, noncommissioned officer leadership schools and advanced training for medics. In addition, law enforcement agencies including the State Police will be able to conduct training at the $30 million Regional Training Institute.
“There’s an adage in the military. How one trains is how one is going to perform,” said Brig. Gen. James Grant, the Director of the Joint Staff for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “I can’t think of a project that is more important than this right here.”
Grant noted that the training center will replace World War II housing and classrooms that had no Internet.
The training center will also be replacing buildings that were badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy, although the funding for the training center was approved separately from Sandy relief efforts.
Grant said the training center was made possible thanks to the support of U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.), who championed the project.
Smith said the National Guard had made a strong case for the need for the facility.
“This groundbreaking is a huge accomplishment in this time of budget cutbacks,” Smith said. “I want to thank the Guard, without your tenacious support of this training center, it would not have been possible.”