  Adjutant General of
Vermont - State Public Affairs Officer FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TAG-VT Release 03-21 RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR VT NATIONAL GUARD READINESS AND REGIONAL TECHNOLOGY CENTER
Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Jim Jeffords, Gov. James Douglas and Adm. (Ret.) Richard Schneider, Norwich University President, will be speaking at the ceremony. The senators included $8,652,000 for the Center in the Military Construction Appropriations Bill for the federal fiscal year 2000. The State also funded $95,000 for special design features for this 21st Century Armory. "This is a major advance for Vermont's Army National Guard," said Leahy. "General Rainville wants to keep our top-rated guard at the forefront in readiness and in skills, and this facility will help keep our guard prepared." Simulations to include the Engagement Skills Trainer 2000, the Abrams Full-crew Interactive Skills Trainer XXI, and the JANUS 7.2 Battle Staff Trainer will be available for hands-on demonstrations. Other simulations will arrive at the Center in the next three months. Simulations provide the soldiers with real-world scenarios without the use of live ammunition or fuel as well as sparing the expense of many other logistical requirements. There are approximately 31,000 Army National Guard soldiers within a 250-mile radius of Northfield as well as four major Army Reserve units and two active duty Army posts that will benefit from the Center. "This project further cements a long and great relationship between Norwich University and the Vermont National Guard while also offering our students a valuable hands-on educational opportunity," said Schneider. The EST 2000 is a five-lane firearm simulator that provides training on marksmanship, small-unit tactical and shoot/don't shoot scenarios. The A-FIST XXI is a PC-based system that provides crew tank gunnery training in a simulated 3D environment. The Battle Staff Trainer is a PC-based system that simulates battle staff operations that will be advantageous for unit throughout the region to build on military decision-making, battle tracking and the synchronization of battlefield operating systems in a responsive environment against opposing forces. Following the ceremony, a tour of the new facility will be provided. Media interested in attending, please contact Capt.
Jeff Roosevelt. pubrel@norwich.edu, May 2003 |
Norwich
University, Northfield, Vt. - Maj. Gen. Martha T. Rainville, Vermont Adjutant
General, is pleased to announce the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new
Readiness and Regional Technology Center at Norwich University on May
10 at 11 a.m. 
The
Center will house the 86th Armor Brigade Headquarters Company as well
as the Information Operations Battalion and various detachments from units
around the state.
"This
is a model partnership between the National Guard, Norwich University,
and the community offering state-of-the-art opportunities for all,"
said Rainville.