By KEVIN CHIRI

Editor and Publisher

RESERVE – The second phase of adding a major military presence to St. John Parish was officially kicked off this past Friday with the ground breaking ceremonies held for the 1084th Transportation Company Louisiana National Guard Readiness Center.

The $17 million facility, with the construction phase being handled by Aegis Construction of LaPlace, is off and running and shooting for a completion date of June, 2008, according to Aegis President and Project Manager Kent Liliedahl.

When completed the National Guard facility will join the new War Veterans Home, which is being constructed right next door, and is almost finished awaiting an expected opening of April, 2007, when they will begin offering a retirement home for veterans here in St. John.

Louisiana National Guard Adjutant General Bennett C. Landreneau spoke to the large crowd of public officials and dignitaries on hand for the ground breaking, on a site in Reserve off Airport Road.

&#8220When we first considered St. John Parish for this National Guard center, we were told we wouldn’t find more supportive people than those in St. John Parish,” Landreneau said. &#8220And that is what we found to be true, especially in your Parish President Nickie Monica, who has been pushing this project from the beginning.

&#8220Ever since we started, President Monica has been at every planning meeting we had, and was always asking us ‘what do you need next’?” Landreneau said to the crowd gathered on the breezy, 38 degree day.

Landreneau passed out plenty of other accolades as well, since he said it took a combined effort from state officials, all the way to the local officials, to get it done much sooner than they had anticipated.

&#8220Usually a project like this can take years to get approved, but the cooperation we had helped us do this much faster. Originally we thought we could get it done by 2011, but here we are in 2007 beginning construction,” he noted. &#8220It was a collective effort that helped get this done.”

Monica called it a &#8220great day for the National Guard and the people of St. John.”

&#8220The National Guard helps protect our country and protects us against national disasters as well,” he added. &#8220And this will be a big boost to our economy, not to mention a beautiful addition to St. John Parish.”

Landreneau said the completed building will be run with an on-site Captain and First Sergeant, with 100 soldiers assigned to shifts at the facility.

The transportation unit will be responsible to provide services in times of natural disasters, and during times of emergencies, and are trained as soldiers for law enforcement as well. They are under the command of the governor of Louisiana.

&#8220If we get a call about a terrorism threat on the river, we’re prepared to deploy and provide assistance to surround the area,” he said. &#8220The National Guard is a unique unit in the United States military since we have two roles, one as a state mission, and another as a federal mission.”

National Guard personnel are ordinary citizens who serve right in our own area, and serve on weekends to fulfill their commitment, but can be called into full time duty such as has happened recently in Iraq.

The $17 million project is also spearheaded by BE&K Government Group, Inc., the architectural firm overseeing the job, with Aegis handling the contracting responsibilities.

&#8220This will be an economic engine for St. John in a lot of ways,” Liliedahl said. &#8220People will spend money who come here, the unit will purchase things from our area merchants, and the facility is even being built to withstand 150 mile per hour winds and can be a hurricane shelter if needed.”

The center is being built on about 10 acres of the 20 acre site that St. John Parish provided for the National Guard.