MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- The Field Training Facility at WFTBn., which was originally scheduled for completion in August 2003, will be ready for use within the next few weeks.
The $2.8 million facility will house the new Crucible Operations Center and have enough seating to accommodate up to 450 recruits for various training evolutions.
Depot Public Works saw a need for the facility shortly after Recruit Training Regiment began using Page Field for the Crucible in 1996.
According to David Woodward, architect for the Public Works engineering division, the old, out-dated facility simply had to go.
"The original COC was an old field operations trailer," he explained. "When the Crucible came about under General Charles C. Krulak, we had to take a general purpose building and turn it into a makeshift temporary operations area."
The problem with this was the trailer did not fulfill all the varying needs of the recruits, as well as the staff members. To remedy this, Public Works personnel began drawing up plans for an all-purpose facility.
"We thought, let's give them a building they can work in that's big enough to handle whatever they need," said Woodward.
It took nearly 10 years for the request "to go through all the wickets," but the Public Works project was finally approved by Congress Jan. 30, 2002, and construction for the building began October 2002.
Aside from replacing the old COC, the 11,000-square-foot building will be primarily used for recruit academic training and replace the previous training area near the gas chamber. The building will come equipped with an audiovisual projector, video screen and rifle racks, as well as a lounge, briefing room and other amenities for staff members.
Completion of the new building will come as a big relief for the Crucible and Basic Warrior
Training instructors, whom previously had to conduct all training outside without the use of effective training aids.
"It will significantly enhance our ability to train recruits," said Sgt. Curtis Ross, BWT instructor, who explained that since a projector screen will be used for presentations instead of the usual turn screen, it will make the previous recruit training area obsolete.
An array of classes, from hand/arm signals to the Day Movement Course, will be taught in one area, cutting the number of needed instructors down from five per event to one, added Chief Crucible Instructor Staff Sgt. Terry Mesec.
The facility will also be used for briefing official visitors who come to view recruit training and Crucible operations, said Mesec.
"The new building makes it a lot more professional to give a presentation to VIPs," said Mesec. "It's a lot bigger and a better environment for that."
According to Lewis Smith, resident engineer in charge of construction for Beaufort, turnover of the building to its users will take place in two weeks.
After that, only training equipment and furniture will need to be installed before becoming fully operational.