ILLINOIS ARMY NATIONAL GUARD RECRUITING AND RETENTION BATTALION HOLDS OPEN HOUSE TO SHOWCASE NEW FACILITY
The Illinois Army National Guard's Recruiting and Retention Battalion held an Open House to show off their new headquarters July 15 at Camp Lincoln, Springfield, Illinois.
The RRB, which was previously located in three separate areas on Camp Lincoln, is now headquartered under one roof in a newly renovated building.
"This new facility offers better command control and better communications," said Lt. Col. Darren Horton, RRB Commander. "Before we were located in three separate locations, now we are all under one roof."
There are approximately 1,700 Soldiers in the battalion, according to Horton, which is one of the largest battalions in the Illinois Army National Guard, and includes approximately 1,500 traditional National Guard Soldiers plus approximately 175 Active Guard and Reserve Soldiers, serving in 11 companies throughout the state.
The RRB's new headquarters, Building 20, was previously an old vehicle maintenance facility that was built in the 1950s. When the maintenance unit left the building, it became storage space, according to Capt. Nicholas Marchese, Construction and Facility Management Office, Illinois Army National Guard.
"The $1.56 million renovation project included the complete demolition of the southern 2/3's of the interior - removing walls, the old gas heaters, plumbing, and a vehicle lift station'" he said. "In addition, the project included adding a canopy, new windows, new sidewalk and fencing and also tuck-pointing and cleaning the building's exterior bricks."
Between buildings 21 and 22, a new concrete parking lot was laid, according to Marchese. The building's interior was updated with somewhat of an industrial look. It has an open ceiling, all new HVAC system, multiple new offices, a breakroom, a conference room, two new restrooms, a storage space with an overhead loading door, new LED hanging lights, and the concrete floors have been grinded down, refinished and polished.
In addition to the newly renovated nearly 7,000 square foot facility at Camp Lincoln, an Army National Guard recruiter is located at each Armory across the state, plus five store fronts, in Alton, Belleville, Downers Grove, Crystal Lake and Gurnee, which serves the public in the same manner as an Armed Forces Recruiting Facility.
In addition to recruiting enlisted Soldiers across the state, the RRB is responsible for recruiting for the Officers' Corps such as doctors, according to Horton.
"The National Guard Bureau's standard is for 84 percent of the Soldiers to get through the initial phases of training. According to Horton, the Illinois Army National Guard exceeds that standard.
"Illinois currently sits at 86 percent," he said. "In fact, we're one of the top enlisting states in the nation."
For information on how to join the Illinois Army National Guard or to speak with a recruiter, call 1-800-GO-GUARD.