National Guard closing down Wrangell armory

Troops were in town recently, decommissioning Wrangell’s National Guard armory on Bennett Street.

Lt. Colonel Candis Olmstead of the state Army National Guard Public Affairs Office confirmed last week five soldiers from the 38th Troop Command, 297th Regional Support Group and Joint Forces Headquarters were in Wrangell on April 24 and 25. Additionally, on May 2 personnel from the Guard’s facilities and maintenance office were in town.

Their purpose entailed the collection of materiel and disposing of unnecessary furniture and items. Once that work is completed, Olmstead explained the building will be turned back over to the city, which has been leasing the property to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

The armory was built in 1982. Most recently it has been assigned to the 297th Military Police Company, 3rd Detachment, to which two residents had belonged. Since last year no personnel have been assigned to the facility, a decision to divest the armory was reached.

“This occurrence is happening nationwide,” Olmstead explained. The goal is to reduce costs for seldom or unused facilities, which have ongoing maintenance needs and expenses.

The armories are ostensibly in place to provide Guardsmen with quick deployment readiness. However, whether the nearest armory is local or more regionally sited, personnel will still maintain the same mission.

“Whether they’re in Wrangell or somewhere else, their purpose is a federal mission,” said Olmstead.

The closures are in large part related to cuts to state agency budgets. Since 2013, the Alaska DMVA has had to reduce its budget by 40 percent, down to $15.6M this fiscal year. In Alaska more than 60 armories are being divested for this

reason, though the action

only affects those with five or fewer Guardsmen attached to them.

These cuts go beyond trimming facilities, and have included a reduction of personnel statewide by 20 percent. Veterans services have also been impacted, with the Office of Management and Budget reporting the number of service officers have remained static the past few years despite continued growth to the state’s veteran population.