JEROME, Idaho — The Idaho Army National Guard has a new home in the Magic Valley after three years of construction, with the new facility dedicated in honor of the late former Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne.
The Dirk Kempthorne Idaho National Guard Readiness Center is now officially open in Jerome County, replacing the Guard's longtime presence near the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls.
The 55,000-square-foot facility was funded mostly through federal money and includes modern classrooms, a learning center, secure equipment storage, and more.
Former Idaho First Lady Patricia Kempthorne attended the dedication ceremony, reflecting on her husband's passing and his connection to the Guard.
"This is really an honor, he would feel really good about it," Kempthorne said.
WATCH | Idaho's new 55,000-sq-ft National Guard readiness center in Jerome County is named for late Gov. Dirk Kempthorne after three years of construction—
"Proud... sad to lose him... but also this is such an amazing thing to help keep his legacy going. People believe in him and what he stood for, and the Guard was so important to him and all the people of Idaho, but particularly the Guard," Kempthorne said.
The center will become the new home of the 145th Light Support Battalion and its vehicle maintenance facility following the unit's activation in July.
The 116th Brigade Engineer Battalion, previously headquartered in Twin Falls, was deactivated earlier this month. However, Major General Timothy Donnellan says the Army is undergoing a significant transformation — called the Army Transformation Initiative — and the 116th's deactivation is part of a broader shift in military strategy.
"We are moving out of armor and into mobile infantry," Donnellan said.
In practical terms, the transformation means moving away from Cold War-era policies like traditional National Guard armories and into new, faster readiness centers.
"That's what it's about...it's about combat mission readiness and making sure our soldiers are the most lethal so that anyone that wants to have a different way of approaching dialog will think twice," Donnellan said.
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