Mar 13, 2005 By Patty Yauger 2 min read

CONNELLSVILLE TWP. – The military training operations planned to take place at the new National Guard Readiness Center when completed will not adversely affect neighboring school activities or nearby residential areas, according to a National Guard spokesman. Lt. Col. Chris Cleaver, state National Guard public affairs officer, said any activities that would include firing of weapons with live ammunition will take place at military facilities equipped for such activities, not at the readiness center.

Recently, township residents raised concerns that weapons and equipment used by guardsmen during training sessions could place school children or residents in harm’s way.

“There is always limited training at an armory,” said Cleaver, adding that no conducted training will include firing live ammunition from any type of weapon or equipment.

The 25,000-square-foot facility is under construction along Rock Ridge Road, next to the Connellsville Township Elementary School, and will be the new site for the members of Company B, 1st Battalion, 103rd Armor when they return from a yearlong tour of duty in Iraq.

The unit uses a Connellsville facility built in 1902 for gatherings, but it travels to other locations to conduct training sessions, including Fort Indiantown Gap, the Pennsylvania home base for the state’s National Guard, along with facilities at Fort Pickett, Va., and Fort Drum, N. Y.

Cleaver said the new center will allow the unit to conduct certain training onsite, including maintenance and operations of the M-1, A-1 tank.

Two M-1, A-1 tanks will be moved to the readiness center, allowing for hands-on maintenance training and for operators to use simulators to conduct training, said Cleaver.

“They will not be driving the tanks around the 15-acre facility,” he said. “Essentially, what you are looking at is an expanded facility that will allow the unit to do training on the M-1, A-1 tanks, which is what they didn’t have the opportunity to do at the Connellsville-based site.”

The center will also have physical training facilities.

Cleaver added that weapons will be stored at the center, but guardsmen will not use live ammunition during training sessions.

“The new center is a huge benefit to the unit members and their families,” said Cleaver.

“They will more often be able to conduct training sessions without having to travel.”

Construction on the center should be finished in June.