The Alabama National Guard‘s Foley Readiness Center is a “super-armory” large enough to fit two units and can be used as a centralized location for domestic support operations when needed.
“This organization is uniquely positioned to help anytime we have hurricanes,” said Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Sheryl E. Gordon. “Our ability to come down here and use this as a platform to stage our troops and provide services to the people that were impacted by the storms is a tremendous opportunity.”
Fourteen years in the making, several legislative bodies and organizations had a hand in helping make the new readiness center a reality. The National Guard conducted a ribbon-cutting for the new center on Jan. 23.
In attendance at the ceremony were federal, state and local legislative members, South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce representatives, numerous National Guard personnel and other community leaders.
“I can’t thank y’all more for this and the way that you have embraced the National Guard unit and this project,” Gordon said. “As we go forward, we will continue to stay down here and serve the citizens in this community.”
Foley Mayor Ralph Hellmich said the city has always supported the National Guard.
“We’re so proud of you guys being here and the vision of having a super-armory in this area,” Hellmich said. “We are here to support and will always be here.”
Soldiers of Charlie Company, 173rd Infantry Regiment, in front of the new Foley Readiness Center. The unit has been based in Foley since it was stood up in 2016. (Maj. Jacqueline Krimmel / Alabama National Guard)
The 30,540-square-foot facility sits on about 30 acres in Foley’s industrial park and is divided into two buildings. One building has administrative offices and classrooms as well as a 1,726-square-foot multipurpose room useful for training events and disaster response. The second building includes maintenance bays, offices, storage and equipment. Both buildings share a secure motor pool for tactical vehicles.
The facility is also outfitted with state-of-the-art geothermal wells for efficiently heating and cooling it, which will greatly reduce energy costs.
The armory is now serving as the home station for Charlie Company of the 1-173rd Infantry Regiment.
