The 70th Regional Readiness Command in Fort Lawton is preparing to disestablish itself by June 7, 2009, but members want to postpone that to 2011 when a new facility in Marysville is expected to be completed, 70th RRC officials said.
The U.S. Army presence at Fort Lawton is reorganizing and selling off surplus property to the city in the form of 125 new units of market-rate housing and 85 units of housing for the formerly homeless.
Members of the 70th may be transferred to Ft. McCoy in central Wisconsin, or possibly into the new 364th Expeditionary Support Command unit that will be established in Marysville. Construction on that facility isn't expected to be completed until 2010, so as a precaution, the 70th wants to stay at Fort Lawton until it is done. If it is permitted to stay, there will be no overlap with Fort Lawton's residential development plans.
Members of the 70th may also ask for early retirement or help from Army officials in finding civilian work. The Army Reserve just celebrated its 100th year in existence at the Ballard Locks in August. The 70th Army Band and the 104th Division Band played and Maj. Gen. Chris Ingram, commanding general of the 70th RRC presided over the event and presented awards.
Pam Garrison, public affairs specialist with the 70th RRC said she is not sure what will happen to the 70th's facility but that the Local Reuse Authority will decide. The plan for reuse has been approved by the Seattle City Council and has been sent to the Department of Defense for final approval.
Much of the 70th's functions, which are to support troops and get them ready for deployment, will be reallocated to Fort McCoy. "A lot of people don't want to go," Garrison said of staffers who may be asked to move to Wisconsin. "It's probably cheaper to live, but why would you want to go? There's nothing there."
Staffers at the 70th RRC have until Dec. 5 of this year to decide if they want to be included in the relocation plans. Garrison herself is not sure if she wants to move. There is nothing for her at the 364th and she's leaning heavily in staying. She said she would go through the placement process to see if anything comes up, just in case. But the Everett resident is pretty set on staying in Washington.
"We've known this was coming," she said.
In related news, you may have noticed that the 70th Infantry Division Monument at the porch of the 70th facility is missing. That's because staffers, knowing its fate at the current site was untenable, donated it to the 70th Infantry Division Association at Camp Adair south of Salem, Ore.
"It was endangered of being demolished," Garrison said. "So we wanted to see it go (to Adair) to mark their beginnings."
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