CORNING — As a result of force structure and stationing study findings, the Iowa National Guard will permanently close its Corning armory, located at 1925 210th St., Corning.
The unit currently assigned to the Corning armory, Detachment 1, Company B, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry, will move to Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa, in 2016 and consolidate with the main body of Company B. Approximately 80 soldiers are affected by the closure and move.
The Iowa National Guard has a long history in Corning dating back to 1892 with the initial stationing of Company K, 3rd Regiment. Soldiers from the Corning armory have fought in the Spanish-American War, World War I, and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Constructed in 1993, the 20,598-square-foot Corning armory is the 13th armory to be closed in Iowa as the result of a statewide consolidation and facilities upgrade program initiated in 2000 by the Iowa National Guard. The armory will be offered to the public for sale in the near future.
“It was a very difficult decision to make as an organization, but with the fiscally-constrained environment all Department of Defense entities face today, consolidating this unit and closing the Corning armory was the best course of action for responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources and for future readiness of our Soldiers,” said Maj. Gen. Tim Orr, adjutant general for the Iowa National Guard. “We are incredibly grateful for the strong support of the Corning community for nearly 125 years.”
Since 2000, as part of the Iowa National Guard’s plan to relocate military units into higher demographic areas, close outdated armories, consolidate units on a regional concept to better utilize training resources, and upgrade existing facilities through renovation and new construction, the Iowa National Guard has consolidated units and closed armories in Sioux Center, Villisca, Mapleton, Atlantic, Clarinda, Glenwood, Hampton, Jefferson, Chariton, Newton, Eagle Grove and Centerville.
For questions concerning this release as well as additional information about the operations, training and activities of the Iowa Army and Air National Guard, please contact Col. Greg Hapgood, Iowa National Guard public affairs officer, by email at gregory.o.hapgood.mil@mail.mil or by phone at 515-252-4582 (office) or 515-971-6385 (cell). Or, contact Master Sgt. Duff E. McFadden at duff.e.mcfadden.mil@mail.mil, 515-252-4666 (office) or 515-480-7647 (cell).