The Army Reserve is nearing completion on the construction of a facility on a 100-acre property near the Gainesville Regional Airport that will provide the community with economic benefits and military support.
Serving as a version of public works for the United States Army, the Army Reserve ensures soldiers are trained in all aspects of operations, including heavy equipment. Within the reserve is the 81st Readiness Division, which trains soldiers on equipment and facilities through different operations and vehicle maintenance.
The equipment concentration site is moving from its current location in southeast Alabama to Gainesville. The project began in 2021, and officials expect it to open in September, according to Sean McLendon, the Alachua County economic development manager.
“If, say, there's a really bad hurricane down in the Caribbean, the 81st Readiness Division would be activated,” McLendon said. “They would show up with their heavy equipment to clean up roads down there or bring in heavy diesel generators so that electricity could be provided to folks in the communities.”
Overall, the Army Reserve is home to about 190,000 soldiers, but Dr. Bryan Franklin, the deputy director for logistics at the 81st Readiness Division, said the Reserve supports about 50,000 soldiers over the nine southeastern states, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
“I have about 800 employees across all these maintenance facilities, and we maintain it on an active basis five days a week,” Franklin said. “Three hundred 65 days a year we're working on that equipment on behalf of that unit so all these units have the equipment.”
The $42 million budget took a couple of years to be approved, as this federal project had to go through the time for the idea, workup and overall goal processes.
Congress approved the project in a military authorization in 2021, according to Oscar Rubio, the director of insulation management.
McLendon said the 81st Readiness Division wanted to expand to Gainesville as it has a central location that will help work on the units in Florida, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
"It's a great jumping-off point for the rest of the Southeastern United States," McLendon said. "It’s close to their dedicated training facilities, and being 150 feet above sea level, it offers protection from coastal flooding."
At the site, rolling stock, like large and small trucks, generators and service weapons, like M-16 rifles, M-4 rifles, pistols and machine guns, will be maintained.
“So pretty much any piece of army equipment that can't be stored at a reserve center or expected to be maintained, comes to our (site) for our full-time staff to service that equipment when it's all done,” Franklin said.
The concentration site is the former location of the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire. This is a prime location for the Army Reserve mission because its members are able to access transportation networks, like the airport, to move around equipment. Also, the county offered the land as a cost-effective strategy for the government.
Although the site is taking over the land where many Gainesville residents enjoyed events, this site will still be beneficial to the Gainesville community, especially its economy.
First, at least 60 permanent jobs will open in Gainesville for soldiers. Officials expect those relocations to result in military families buying homes and finding places of education for their children.
"It's not just about the full-time employees," McLendon said. "You're also looking at a steady influx of soldiers who will need accommodations, food, and basic services. This project will bring an ongoing economic boost to the region."
Moreover, during summer, hundreds of soldiers will train at the site and will be housed in hotels, eat at local restaurants, shop at the local stores and go to the doctors for checkup.
The site will also partner with Santa Fe College by creating a curriculum later this year that matches what the military technicians do, so students can learn what type of work is done at these sites. This could give them the opportunity to work at the site after going through the military’s basic training.
“…Students can learn to how to do that exact type of work because it's a very lucrative, high-paying career,” McLendon said.
Although Gainesville will see the benefits of the site, the community will also be supporting and
Tommy Crosby, the public affairs director for the 81st Readiness Division, touted the potential for the Gainesville region to build a relationship with the Army, and residents should expect to soon see more military trucks and soldiers around the community.
“I think it also shows the partnership between the community and the Army Reserve just in general,” he said, “knowing that the Gainesville area is willing to be that community that steps up and supports our Army or Army Reserve soldiers and making sure that they remain mission ready when called upon.”
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