Destroyed by Hurricane Ivan, Army Reserve Center Stands Tall
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS080118-18
Release Date: 1/18/2008 3:46:00 PM
By Gary Nichols, Center for Information Dominance Corry Station Public Affairs
PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- Corry Station welcomed its newest resident – 350th Civil Affairs Command (CACOM) Headquarters – at a ribbon cutting and welcome aboard ceremony Jan. 12.
Built in the 1950s the Army Reserve building located near Pensacola Junior College and Pensacola Regional Airport had become a familiar landmark to area residents. Sadly, the building was yet another victim left in the wake of Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
In a cooperative effort between the 81st Regional Readiness Command from Birmingham, Ala., the 350th CACOM, Center for Information Dominance (CID) Corry Station and Naval Air Station Pensacola, construction began two years ago at Corry Station.
"DOD has realized there is some advantage to combining facilities," Commanding General U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) Maj. Gen. David A. Morris said. "It's a little unique having an Army Reserve unit onboard a naval base, but if you look at how we work in the field, we conduct joint operations all the time."
The new 38,500-square foot, $8.7 million facility, located at the west end of Chiefs' Way on board Corry Station and within sight of the new Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense's Joint Ambulatory Care Clinic, is designed to service a robust and growing 200-member Army Reserve Civil Affairs command to meet the changing demands of a nation at war.
"It's a great day for the Army Reserve to have the headquarters building completed," Lonnie Hawkins, district representative for Rep. Jeff Miller, said. "Were also looking forward to being back soon (at Corry Station) for the grand opening of the VA Super Clinic."
Featured speaker and 350th Civil Affairs Command Commander Brig. Gen. Jeffrey A. Jacobs noted that 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of the Army Reserve and that completion of the new facility is particularly meaningful as the Army is transforming and adapting to overcome a new enemy for a new century.
"Our 50-year-old former reserve center on College Boulevard, home though it was for all those years, represented the Cold War, Strategic Army Reserve that no longer exists," Jacobs said. "I can't think of a more appropriate way for us to mark the beginning of the Army Reserve's second century, or a more fitting way to symbolize the transformation of the Army Reserve, or a more apt recognition of our great Army Reserve Soldiers, than to open this new center."
Since the majority of the Civil Affair (CA) forces are in the Reserves, these civilian/Soldiers have unique skills and education not typically associated with regular war-fighters.
CA units include Soldiers with training and experience in public administration, public safety, public health, legal systems, labor management, public welfare, public finance, public education, civil defense, public works and utilities, public communications, public transportation, logistics, food and agricultural services, economics, property control, cultural affairs, civil information and managing dislocated persons.
The overall mission of these CA Soldiers is far reaching.
Civil affairs units like the 350th help military commanders attain their mission objectives during peace, contingency operations and declared war. They support activities of both conventional and special operations forces.
CA Soldiers also help to reduce civilian interference with Coalition operations, minimize military disruption of civilian activities and assist in the restoration of public services and peaceful activities to affected areas as quickly as possible.
CA Soldiers have been trained to identify critical requirements needed by local citizens in war or natural disaster situations, such as Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina.
They can also locate civil resources to support military operations, help minimize civilian interference with operations, support national assistance activities and establish and maintain liaison or dialogue with civilian aid agencies and other non-governmental organizations.
The 350th's new home on Corry Station is the long-time home of the Center for Information Dominance, which has recently opened the Navy's Center for Language, Regional Expertise and Culture. Focused primarily on developing training solutions to help Sailors develop language and culture expertise.
"Having the Army's Civil Affairs professionals on board Corry Station located with the Navy's language and culture professionals is phenomenal," CID Corry Station Commanding Officer, Capt. Connie Frizzell said. "We have already begun a joint dialogue to leverage each others expertise and capabilities."
The Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations (PSYOP) Command (Airborne), stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., is the headquarters of the 350th CACOM. USACAPOC(A) is a multi-component command comprised of nearly 10,000 Soldiers in 67 units across 27 states. USACAPOC(A) is home to 94 percent of the Department of Defense's CA capability and 71 percent of Department of Defense's PSYOP capability.
CID Corry Station oversees career management and training for officer and enlisted students of the United States military and allied forces in the fields of Information Warfare, Information Professional, Cryptologic and Information Technology.
CID's mission is to deliver the right training, at the right time, in the right place, utilizing technology, innovation and science of learning, to provide the fleet with optimally trained information professionals who will create a tactical advantage for mission success in the information domain. CID oversees training for approximately 16,000 students annually at 17 detachments and learning sites throughout the United States and in Japan.
For more news from Center for Information Dominance, visit www.navy.mil/local/corry/.
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