Tennessee National Guard revamped
The transitions will “change the face of the Tennessee Army National Guard as we now know it,” said Maj. Gen. Gus Hargett, guard commander. The changes are designed to meet today’s threats during the war on terrorism, which has placed new demands on reserve units across the country, he said.
The restructure mirrors ongoing efforts by the Pentagon to change the active military into smaller, more mobile units, he said.
“This will make us look exactly like the Army,” Hargett told the Chattanooga Times Free Press in a phone interview.
This will allow the military to plug in guard units to replace active units without difficulty in such places as Iraq, he said.
Creating more support and civil affairs jobs in the guard will reflect the changing demographics in the state and attract more females to the guard, Hargett said. The restructuring came after months of review and will enhance the guard’s ability to respond to natural disasters, civil disturbances and terrorist attacks, he said.
The headquarters of 278th Regimental Combat Team, currently deployed to Iraq, will remain in Knoxville with subordinate unit headquarters in Cookeville, Henderson, Kingsport, Winchester, Lebanon and Smyrna.
Chattanooga’s 196th Field Artillery Brigade will be changed into a support unit. The 30th Troop command headquarters will move from Smyrna to Tullahoma.
Five Tennessee Army National Guard armories will be closing soon: Oak Ridge, Harriman, Newbern, South Pittsburg and Martin, which all will be consolidated into other nearby facilities.
“It’s an economics thing,” said Sgt. Randy Harris, guard spokesman. “We’re trying to save taxpayer money. We have buildings not utilized to their fullest extent.”
Dyersburg’s 230th Area Support Group, currently deployed to Kuwait, will be replaced by a Military Police Battalion Headquarters. The 194th Engineer Brigade Headquarters, now deployed to Iraq, will remain in Jackson.
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Information from: The Knoxville News Sentinel, http://www.knoxnews.com