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Virginia Guard breaks ground on new Corps-managed headquarters for 183rd Regional Training Institute

January 21, 2009
by MAJ Cotton Puryear
Virginia National Guard

The Virginia National Guard held a ceremony today to break ground on a new multi-million dollar headquarters building and training center for the 183rd Regional Training Institute at Fort Pickett, Va.

The groundbreaking marks the first phase of a two-phase military construction project for the RTI, the Virginia Guard’s primary training unit. Norfolk District, Army Corps of Engineers manages the $25 million construction project and its contractor is Barton Malow Company of Charlottesville, Va. Phase 1 has a 22-month design-build schedule with expected completion in August 2010.

Since 2005, Norfolk District has managed the completion of several key Virginia National Guard training facilities and infrastructure on Fort Pickett, including replacing six vehicle transport bridges, the Maneuver Area Training Equipment Site and the Infantry Platoon Battle Course.

The key features of the Phase 1 RTI construction project are:

  • Approximately 8,000 square foot regimental headquarters building that will house offices, administrative workspace and a conference room for the command group, operations and staff sections and the headquarters company.
  • Approximately 61,500 square foot education building with administrative and office space for the RTI’s three training battalions, classrooms, a library, learning center, maintenance classroom, medical aid station, supply area and fitness center.
  • Approximately 9,700 square foot Officer Candidate School building, with offices, administrative workspace, conference room, classrooms and counseling areas.
  • Approximately 4,900 square foot, 250-seat auditorium and stage.

"We are under contract for Phase 1 right now, and hoping to receive congressional appropriation for Phase 2 in Fiscal Year 2010," said Maj. Christopher S. Dunn, the construction project manager for the Virginia National Guard.

Dunn said Congress has not appropriated Phase 2 funding, but plans include a regimental dining hall and three 124,000 square foot barracks buildings. The estimated cost of Phase 2 construction is $32 million, and with funds approval the projected completion date is October 2012.

The Virginia RTI consistently gets feedback from Guard Bureau, Department of the Army and most importantly, our students, that our training and trainers are truly outstanding, but that our classroom and billeting facilities are lacking and antiquated, said Lt. Col. Walt Mercer, commander of the RTI.

"This new, modern facility will resolve this and allow RTI to take our training to the next level of professionalism," Mercer said. "This project reflects our focus on investing in Fort Pickett as a long-term goal of increasing our ability to train more Soldiers here."

Mercer said the RTI expects to see a trend of training more active component Soldiers, adding o the Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers the organization trains.

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