Sea Girt is getting a facelift, thanks to engineers from the New Jersey Army National Guard.
This June, three units teamed up to improve the training areas used not only by fellow Guardsmen, but also state and local police, the Department of Corrections, Youth ChalleNGe, and Officer Candidate School, among others.
"Anyone who trains here will benefit," said 1st Lt. Jeff Hager, the acting commander for the project. "This is a highvisibility project."
Improvements to be completed by the 150th Engineer Company include sidewalks and wheelchair access to some of the barracks, grading and excavating for an urban combat training site, a new review stand for the parade field, and gravel roadway access to the ranges. The 160th Engineer Detachment is also undertaking some roofing, electrical, and plumbing work. The units are joined by combat engineers of Alpha Company, 50th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, which Hager says is a good sign. The improvements make up the annual training periods for the 150th, 160th, and A/50th.
"It's great to get several units together on one project," he said. Hager is optimistic that they will work alongside each other again on future projects, such as a possible UAV landing site at Warren Grove Gunnery Range.
The Soldiers aren't the only ones getting a workout. Staff Sgt. Lee Christensen, an electrician on the civilian side, praised the Soldiers in the earthmovers he was supervising.
"They're doing great work," he said, and tapped his chest, joking, "But with more stripes, I can't play anymore!"
This was Pfc. Jose Rivera's first AT and he was all too happy to get out of the house and out of the armory.
"There's always something to be fixed," he said.
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