Remembering the previous, springing into the long run: 831st Engineers assist modernize Camp Dodge coaching amenities | Article

JOHNSTON, Iowa – A college instructor named Lena Mosier as soon as wrote a farewell tribute to the Herrold College Home, which nonetheless stands, vacant, in Camp Dodge. It started like this:

“Early in September of 1912 a brand new white body schoolhouse awaited the inflow of the primary lengthy line of pupils who would move by its portals for fifty-four years to come back. These first pupils got here by horse and buggy, some driving many miles to attend . . . however in 1917, struggle had damaged out in Europe and threatened world conflagration . . . Farmers had been disadvantaged of their properties in an effort to make manner for a brand new navy camp that, at its peak, housed 65,000 males.”

The tribute is stored in a manila folder within the Iowa Gold Star Navy Museum’s analysis library. With it are previous images and newspaper articles that function a reminder that the small city of Herrold existed – earlier than its schoolhouse turned the final constructing standing because the city melted, slowly, into the folds of Camp Dodge.

Simply because the schoolhouse modified all through historical past – at one level it even housed Army officers – it continues to alter in the present day, as Iowa Army Nationwide Guard Troopers work to renovate the construction in an effort to modernize the coaching space.

“We’re going to maintain the schoolhouse signal and check out our greatest to maintain it traditionally correct on the surface,” mentioned Sgt. 1st Class Matthew McKee, undertaking supervisor at Camp Dodge Coaching Web site. McKee lives in close by Urbandale. “The within will likely be just about gutted and be two totally different rooms, and the basement will likely be made structurally sound.”

The thought, mentioned McKee, is to permit Troopers to make use of the schoolhouse as a tactical operations middle. They are going to have the ability to arrange their very own wi-fi communications to simulate a short lived operations middle throughout battle.

The schoolhouse renovation is being accomplished with the assistance of the 831st Engineer Firm primarily based out of Middletown, Iowa. The unit has the chance to finish initiatives at Camp Dodge throughout their annual coaching, which permits Coaching Web site to domestically supply the work and supplies real-world coaching for Troopers.

“For a majority of those guys, it’s their first time pouring concrete,” mentioned Sgt. David Kern, an inside electrician with the 831st EC and Runnels, Iowa, native. Kern supervised as his crew made a brand new sidewalk outdoors the schoolhouse.

“They did fairly good. It was a studying expertise, and type of a crawling section to prepare for larger initiatives.”

Spc. Brayton Chesnut, an inside electrician from Creston, Iowa, is new to the unit. He mentioned spending his first annual coaching doing actual initiatives has been an thrilling expertise. Chesnut is attending Southwest Neighborhood School, the place he’s working towards {an electrical} know-how diploma. Whereas he’s hasn’t labored on any electrical initiatives but, he sees the worth in studying extra about totally different commerce work.

“Pouring concrete slab is one thing new,” mentioned Chesnut, “however with the ability to arrange the construction, which may be tough, was enjoyable as a result of we discovered the easiest way by utilizing two-by-fours and everybody pitched in to assist. It’s simply superior.”

Along with the schoolhouse undertaking, the 831st EC is pouring new sidewalks outdoors the Joint Power Headquarters constructing, putting in electrical capabilities and a air flow system for a newly-built gasoline chamber and constructing the foundations of an Infantry Squad Battle Course.

Beforehand, Camp Dodge used an previous, empty gasoline tank to coach Troopers on chemical, organic, radiological and nuclear security procedures. It had no home windows or air flow system. The 220th Engineer Development Firm with the Missouri Army Nationwide Guard constructed the brand new construction throughout their annual coaching and handed it off to the 831st EC to proceed the work.

“This new chamber may be very modernized with a greater air flow system and might maintain extra folks,” mentioned McKee.

After the 831st EC completes {the electrical} and air flow work, Coaching Web site will end the undertaking by putting in the doorways and home windows.

Of all of the initiatives slated for Camp Dodge, the brand new Infantry Squad Battle Course is maybe probably the most bold – and one which squad-level infantry troops throughout the state can look ahead to.

The 831st EC helps to finish the primary section, which incorporates utilizing entrance finish loaders to construct berms. Employees Sgt. Dillon Lengthy, a horizontal building engineer with the 831st EC and Burlington, Iowa, native, mentioned his crew has been supplying the filth and gravel to mildew them.

“[Infantry squads] will likely be working from west to east,” mentioned Lengthy. “We’re organising the berms to allow them to use them for canopy, concealment and bounding. There will likely be a berm throughout the street from the trenches to have an unmanned shifting Humvee to assault.”

Finally, squads will have the ability to have interaction particular person targets with rubber bullets as they navigate the berms. McKee mentioned it one other long-term purpose is to put in lanes for practical mounted warfare coaching, the place Troopers can drive by in tactical autos whereas partaking targets.

Because the initiatives supervisor, McKee has been working laborious to make sure the 220th ECC and 831st EC had been arrange for achievement. He creates a listing for constructing supplies, makes buy requests and creates building schedules to make sure the initiatives keep on observe.

Whereas Camp Dodge not homes 65,000 Troopers because it did in the course of the peak of the World Wars, it has turn into a hub of sustainment and maneuver coaching for Nationwide Guard, Reserve and Energetic element items. The logistical efforts on behalf of Coaching Web site and the laborious work of the supporting engineering items will assist springboard Iowa’s largest navy coaching base to a brand new degree of modernization.

“I like my job. I get to usher in items from totally different elements of the nation to assist preserve and enhance our properties,” mentioned McKee. “I’m hoping to department out even broader as we attempt to begin even larger initiatives.”