A rendering of the new Hamilton County Indiana National Guard readiness center. Photo from American Structurepoint.

By Niki Kelly
Indiana Capital Chronicle

INDIANA — The Indiana National Guard broke ground on its newest readiness center in Atlanta on Thursday.

During the ceremony, Gov. Eric Holcomb and Maj. Gen. Dale Lyles, Indiana’s adjutant general, spoke and broke ground on the new facility.

“In May, I proudly signed a budget including $8 million in funding for the Indiana National Guard’s new Hamilton County Readiness Center,” Holcomb said in a news release. “Indiana will continue to invest in supporting the men and women who answer a call to serve at home and abroad, respond to state emergencies and secure our peace and freedoms.”

The facility, scheduled to open in 2026, will include about 66,000 square feet of space on an existing, state-owned 55-acre plot of land in Hamilton County.

The center will house the 38th Sustainment Brigade headquarters company, its detachment and special troops battalion, the 338th Signal Company and approximately 300 Hoosier Guardsmen. The new facility will meet current code, the American with Disabilities Act and Anti-terrorism Force Protection requirements.

“The three units that will be supported here work together to support approximately 10,000 soldiers in support of large-scale combat operations and state active duty,” Lyles said. “Ensuring we’re always ready means ensuring our training and our facilities are modern and that we attract talent to the thrilling and fulfilling multitude of part-time careers we offer.”

In addition to the Hamilton County Readiness Center, which will to be a home for Indiana National Guard units in the decades ahead, the State of Indiana has invested more than $9 million since 2019 to modernize the Bluffton, Danville and Martinsville readiness centers.