Illinois National Guard breaks ground in Kankakee

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Command Chief Warrant Officer 5 David Hammon of Petersburg, Illinois, Illinois National Guard command chief warrant officer (left) and Brig. Gen. Richard Hayes of Chatham, Illinois, Illinois National

SPRINGFIELD, IL (10/30/2014)(readMedia)-- KANKAKEE, Ill. – The Illinois National held groundbreaking ceremony for a $53.3 million Army Aviation Support Facility and Readiness Center in Kankakee, Oct. 29.

Brig. Gen. Richard Hayes of Chatham, Illinois, Illinois National Guard Deputy Adjutant General, joined Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and state and local officials at the ground breaking ceremony for the joint federal-state funded project, which is expected to create construction and permanent jobs in the Kankakee area.

"This new major facility will help keep our military's helicopters and aviators in top fighting condition," said Quinn. "Kankakee has always been supportive of our service men and women and we are supporting the community with this project by bringing hundreds of construction jobs to the area."

The two-story 185,200 square-feet facility will include a helicopter maintenance hangar, storage hangar, classrooms, fuel distribution system and fire suppression systems. The hangar space will be designed for the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, a weapon simulator training space and a task-load combat simulated flight environment.

The new facility will house three companies and their equipment. Construction is expected to be completed by early 2016.

Command Chief Warrant Officer 5 David Hammon of Petersburg, Illinois, Illinois National Guard command chief warrant officer (left) and Brig. Gen. Richard Hayes of Chatham, Illinois, Illinois National Guard Assistant Adjutant General-Army (middle), toss dirt during a groundbreaking ceremony in Kankakee Oct. 29, 2014. The groundbreaking ceremony was part of a new joint federal-state funded project that will erect a new Army Aviation Support Facility and readiness Center in Kankakee. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Jason Dorsey, Joint Force Headquarters)

Illinois National Soldier Sgt. Chris Quinn, a Chicago native and UH-60 Helicopter repairman with Company B, 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation in Chicago, is acknowledged by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn during a groundbreaking ceremony in Kankakee, Oct. 29. The groundbreaking ceremony signified a new joint federal-state funded project that will erect a new Army Aviation Support Facility and Readiness Center. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Jason Dorsey, Joint Force Headquarters)