FORT BENNING, Ga. - Leaders from the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sep. 21 to mark the completion of a $31 million Olson Hall barracks renovation at Fort Benning, Georgia.
“These barracks are for our [noncommissioned officers] and our NCO academy and those coming here to get better and to go out and lead our formations,” said Maj. Gen. Curtis A. Buzzard, commanding general of the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning. “It’s a great day to be here, and this is also an excellent example of restoration and modernization.”
Olson Hall is named after Sgt. Truman O. Olson, who was posthumously awarded the United States military’s highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War II.
“When I look back, I think about notable individuals that have walked through these grounds and have lived in these barracks. I think about Col. Ralph Puckett and Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry, 2nd Ranger Battalion, and Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Joe C. Davis, commandant, MCoE Henry Caro NCO Academy. “These medal of honor recipients are only a few of the thousands of Soldiers who lived and trained on these hallowed grounds.”
Olson Hall barracks, which is home to Soldiers attending the MCoE Henry Caro NCO Academy, comprises seven sections, each housing about 100 Soldiers.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, supervised the design and construction during the renovation of sections A and G. Each section – approximately 40,500 square feet in size – underwent significant improvements, inside and outside.
The renovations involved demolition and abatement and installation of new roofing ice and water shields, repairs to the concrete structure, stairwell, and entrance, lighting replacement and painting, and the installation of a new HVAC system.
New energy-efficient features include exterior-wall spray foam insulation, insulated windows, LED lighting, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and electronic controls for the new HVAC system.
Thermal performance windows were installed for energy-efficient cooling and heat loss prevention. Other new features include programmable environmental controls and doors equipped with weather stripping.
The U.S. Army is focused on investing significantly in modernizing housing and barracks to improve Soldiers’ quality of life. Implementing major renovation projects, such as those taking place at Olson Hall, will increase the quality of life of Soldiers and is directly tied to increased Army readiness and retention.
For photos, please visit Fort Bennings Digital Archive.
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