Governor, Adjutant General tour readiness center at Heartland Community College

$20 Million National Guard Facility to House 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

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SPRINGFIELD, IL (04/07/2014)(readMedia)-- NORMAL, Ill. – Gov. Pat Quinn joined Brig. Gen. Daniel Krumrei, the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard, to tour the construction project of the Readiness Center on the Heartland Community College campus in Normal, Ill., April 5.

The Readiness Center will house the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB), formerly based in Chicago, which includes 22 full-time and approximately 200 traditional National Guard Soldiers and several units with capabilities designed for domestic emergency missions.

"We are looking forward to the completion of this project and the relocation of the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade from Chicago to Normal," said Krumrei. "This partnership with Heartland Community College leads to a multitude of benefits, such as shared resources and new relationships, for both our Illinois Army National Guard (ILARNG) Soldiers and Heartland students. It is this type of community relationship that enables us - as the National Guard - to help our neighbors, protect our state, and defend our nation."

The ILARNG will build the headquarters for the 404th MEB adjacent to existing college facilities. The 404th MEB includes several units with capabilities designed for domestic emergency missions including search and extraction teams, mass casualty chemical, nuclear and biological decontamination units as well as military police, firefighting, engineer and communications units. The facility's placement will give the 404th MEB easy access to the highway system and airport in the central area of the state, allowing it to respond quickly to high-risk areas in the north, south and west of the state.

"Our National Guard must be ready to respond to emergencies here in Illinois, as well as across the country," Gov. Quinn said. "This project will not only create jobs, it will lead to better educated students and Soldiers."

The newly designed facility will receive LEED Silver sustainability level certification and has approximately 18,000 square feet of shared space, including seven classrooms Heartland Community College will use on weekdays. Heartland is considering several courses and programs for the facility, including law enforcement training, a traffic safety school, truck driver training and first-responder training.

"This is a great opportunity for the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, the Illinois Army National Guard and Heartland Community College," said Lt. Col. Ronald Bonesz of Schaumburg, Ill., officer in charge for the 404th MEB. "Having a brand new state-of-the-art facility located in the middle of the state will allow us to more easily respond to domestic and natural emergencies around the state, which is one of our core missions. As a member of the traditional and full-time staff, I am looking forward to this new chapter and strengthening the bonds between the National Guard, the college and the community."

Heartland will allow the ILARNG to access its auditorium, fitness center and classrooms during the Guard's training assemblies. The project will create more than 200 additional parking spaces for the college's use as well.

"This is an outstanding partnership for everyone involved that will really help boost our local economy," said Rob Widmer, president of Heartland Community College. "Housing this public safety resource at Heartland will enhance the security of our neighboring communities and provide a great central location for any statewide emergency response that involves the Illinois Army National Guard. Likewise, it's a great way for Heartland to gain instructional and parking space for our students so that we continue providing career, college, and life success opportunities."

The readiness center project was managed by the Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB) using the single prime contract method of construction. The total cost of the project is $19.7 million with $11.4 million funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and the rest funded through the CBD. The project will receive approximately $2.8 million in federal funds each year, $2.7 million of those funds will be invested in the Normal and Bloomington area. The general contractor was River City Construction Company of East Peoria.

"This project will employ more than 100 people during construction, provide educational opportunities and help strengthen our national defense once it's complete. This is a win-win situation for the state of Illinois," said Jim Underwood, the state's Capital Development Board Executive Director.

Brig. Gen. Daniel Krumrei, the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard, discusses the layout of a command center with Gov. Pat Quinn during a tour of the construction project of the Readiness Center on the Heartland Community College campus in Normal, Ill. on April 5. The Readiness Center will house the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB), formerly based in Chicago, which includes 22 full-time and approximately 200 traditional National Guard Soldiers and several units with capabilities designed for domestic emergency missions. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Daniel Lograsso, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Brig. Gen. Daniel Krumrei, the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard, speaks with Gov. Pat Quinn during a tour of the construction project of the Readiness Center on the Heartland Community College campus in Normal,

Ill. on April 5. The Readiness Center will house the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB), formerly based in Chicago, which includes 22 full-time and approximately 200 traditional National Guard Soldiers and several units with capabilities designed for domestic emergency missions. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Daniel Lograsso, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Gov. Pat Quinn greets military members, including Brig. Gen. Daniel Krumrei, the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard, before a tour of the construction project of the Readiness Center on the Heartland Community College campus in Normal, Ill., April 5. The Readiness Center will house the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB), formerly based in Chicago, which includes 22 full-time and approximately 200 traditional National Guard Soldiers and several units with capabilities designed for domestic emergency missions. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Daniel Lograsso, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Gov. Pat Quinn speaks after a tour of the construction project of the Readiness Center on the Heartland Community College campus in Normal, Ill. on April 5. The Readiness Center will house the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB), formerly based in Chicago, which includes 22 full-time and approximately 200 traditional National Guard Soldiers and several units with capabilities designed for domestic emergency missions. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Daniel Lograsso, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)