Delaware National Guard opens new shop in Dagsboro

The Daily Times

The Delaware National Guard field maintenance shop enhances readiness for 343 full-time and M-Day soldiers by creating a one-stop maintenance facility.

The Delaware National Guard held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open a new $12 million Field Maintenance Shop at the Dagsboro Readiness Center on Friday.

The facility, called "FMS #5," is designed to meet directed organizational and equipment changes for the Delaware Army National Guard within the updated force structure, according to a release.

“This building is designed for at least 25 years, and we expect at least 25 years on it,” said Col. Fred Cost, Delaware Army National Guard's director of facilities, in a release. “But don't be surprised if 40 years from now this building is still here."

The new facility is designed to support all assigned vehicles from other Delaware Army National Guard Field Maintenance Shops, Cost said.

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With state maintenance resources held in one central location, the Delaware Army National Guard said their readiness will be "significantly enhanced" by providing a central, one-stop maintenance facility, which will be able to provide all maintenance functions, on-the-job training and readiness.

Maj. Gen. Carol Timmons, Adjutant General, cuts the ribbon during the ceremony for a new state of the art field maintenance shop at the Dagsboro Readiness Center, Delaware, July 13, 2018.

"It's good for the Citizen Soldiers that they have a brand-new building to work out of,” said Major General Carol Timmons, Adjutant General for the Delaware National Guard, in a release. “They now have a great place to work and a great shop to train and learn their skills."

In addition to FMS #5 being consistently used for training and readiness for Delaware Guardsmen, it can also be opened up to local residents when a disaster strikes, Timmons said.

"During snowstorms, floods or hurricanes it's possible that our fellow citizens and neighbors who live on the coast and here in Sussex County might have to get moved somewhere,” Timmons said in the release. “This facility is a great option to be able to move and house people, store equipment, even set up a medical site."

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