Fort Rucker AL- Ground breaking ceremonies for an expansion of Building 4905, headquarters of the U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center, were conducted May 3, 2012. The project, which begun in 2006, was awarded as a Major Construction Army project in February 2012 to Bates Engineers/Contractors Inc., Bainbridge, Ga. for a cost of $10 million. Completion of the 40,000 square foot addition is scheduled for mid fiscal 2014.
"This project will enhance what we do for the Army Safety Program and give us additional capabilities," said Brig. Gen. William T. Wolf, director of Army Safety and commander, U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center. "We've been in our current structure for 40 years and now we've expanded our mission across the board and support all three components of the Army. The addition comes with the new technology to support our mission."
Army officials and the civilian contractor broke ground May 3 for a $10 million dollar expansion at the U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center at Fort Rucker, Ala.(from left): Brig. Gen. William T. Wolf, director of Army Safety and commander, USACR/Safety Center; Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Stidley, command sergeant major, USACR/Safety Center; Lt. Col. Thomas Nelson, deputy commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District; and Gary Danford, Bates Engineers/Contractors Inc., Bainbridge, Ga. (Photo by Danny Clemmons, KAYA)
The Army Corps of Engineers helped bring the project to the ground-breaking stage, which ended an eight-year process that went from the planning to the execution stage.
"This project will benefit the Army because the work done at the Army Safety Center supports Soldiers around the world," said Lt. Col. Thomas Nelson, deputy commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District. "We're in an inherently dangerous business and this helps to reduce risk and save Soldier's lives."
The project will double the size of the existing building, built in the 1970s, and provide two state-of-the art professional development classrooms with video teleconference capability, digital collection and analysis lab with additional office space.
For additional information on how the USACR/Safety Center supports the Army Safety Program, visit: https://army.safety.mil/ . - U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center