The Iowa National Guard is rededicating its Armory and Readiness Center in Waterloo today (Tuesday). The facility, which is the home of the 133rd Infantry, was built in 1954 and the three-point-three million dollar upgrade expands the center’s space to 35-thousand square feet.
Major Kevin Loney says not only is the building expanding, but so is the number of soldiers. Loney says they’re getting a new forward support company that will bring in male and female soldiers. He says as an infantry unit they now only have male soldiers.
Loney says the center has an I.C.N. room, numerous classrooms and office space, as well as training facilities for guard members. Loney says one of the training systems uses replicas of actual weapons for simulated training. Loney says it’s similar to a Nintendo game system where laser in the guns are linked to sensors to give the soldiers an idea of how well they’re firing their weapons. The renovation has taken nearly four years to complete.
The Armory and training center will be open for the rededication tonight from five to seven p.m. Loney says some of the space in the upgraded center will be available for public use for meetings and other activities now that the renovation is complete.