Sailors Celebrate Opening of Albuquerque Armed Forces Reserve Center

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Carolyn M. Cerminara, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

April 14, 2010 - ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (NNS) -- Full-time support staff at the Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Albuquerque along with Marines and Soldiers attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony April 8 for the new Armed Forces Reserve Center at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque.

After two-years of construction, joint Reserve forces will commence moving into their expansive 110,000 square foot space in May. The new facility comes as a result of the Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) in 2005 at a cost of $29.9 million.

K. L. House Construction of Albuquerque built the facility and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, designed the Reserve Center.

"You look at the old Reserve Center and a disconnect exists between the interaction of leadership and the junior Sailors," said Lt. Cmdr. Damon Slutz, commanding officer of NOSC Albuquerque. "The layout of the new building is the biggest attribute. It will promote efficiency and increase mentoring on drill weekends. Since we were announced on BRAC six years ago our old facility, which was built in the 70s has not been financially supported."

Attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony was Rear Adm. Nicholas T. Kalathas, assistant deputy commander for logistics, Naval Sea Systems Command.

"There is one place Navy Reservists call home and that is the Reserve Center where they drill," Kalathas said. "New Mexico is the fifth largest state in the fourth largest country in the world. There is one center in New Mexico for Navy Reservists."

The new Armed Forces Reserve Center will serve 12 Navy Reserve units, 11 Army Reserve units and two Marine Corps Reserve units, totaling more than 1,000 Reservists.

The center features separate spaces for the three Reserve branches along with two fitness rooms, two simulation rooms for small arms proficiency, a 60-foot parachute drying tower and rappelling wall, small craft reconnaissance boat facility, two vehicle repair bays, an explosion proof, hazardous material storage container with a secondary container for fire suppression and a helicopter mock-up for a jumping pit.

"To prepare the Reservist is critical to the success of the service member and the family," Kalathas said. "That's the function of a Reserve Center, to give Reservists the tools to enable them to become more effective war fighters. The work done at this level is critical to the success of service members and their families."