HOOKS, Texas-Red River Army Depot, turning 75 this year, held an official opening of a new $80 million, 297,000-square-foot building in April.
As a result of the new building, 5,500 jobs will likely be sustained for years to come, officials believe.
At the April festivities, federal, state, county and municipal officials were present for official opening of the Maneuver Systems Sustainment Center. It is RRAD's newest, mostly technologically up-to-date military vehicle overall repair and service center.
"This building was specifically designed and built to help fulfill the Red River Army Depot's mission to keep our country's young military fighting men and women overseas well supplied with the combat and transport vehicles they need to defend our freedoms," said Marshal McKellar, with the RRAD's Business and Management Office.
McKellar then paid high tribute to former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, for her sustained efforts and helping to make the building possible through securing federal funds.
"Former Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison helped so much to make this day possible," he said.
Having been in the planning stages for well more then five years, it took at least another eight years to construct the center-owing in large measure to Congress having to dole out defense dollars over a multi-year funding approach.
Work started on the center's first construction phase in 2008, which committed $11 million, 36,000-square-feet to building a tactical vehicle processing building aimed at accommodating a vehicle painting, drying and wet cleaning processing area. The next year saw construction start on the center's $7 million, 26,000-square-foot tactical vehicle body repair-complete with heavy lifting, overhead crane system, as the second phase.
Finally, in 2012, work on the third and last phase began on the project's $44 million, 232,0000-square-foot tactical vehicle assembly department, which is the main production area, complete with not only an overhead crane system for vehicle lifting, but also with vehicle engine machining equipment. This building's second floor also has a 3,000-square-foot, state-of-theart cafeteria and dining room.
The depot's commander, Army Col. Branden L. Grubbs also paid tribute to Hutchison and her efforts to persistently pursue the project.
"She was always enthusiastically looking to help keep the depot open and producing," he said. "Thirteen years of planning and construction went into this building and this will help the depot remain as a vital part of our nation's defense as well as become more efficient."
Hutchison served in the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2013.
Army Col. Gerhard Schroter, chief of staff for the Tactical Army Command's Cycle Management Command, said the center will provide great support tactical wheeled vehicles.
"Today we celebrate a building that will continue helping us with army readiness," he said.
U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R, who represents Arkansas's U.S. Fourth Congressional District, said RRAD continues to be a very important employer for state's southwest.
U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe, R, of Texas' Fourth Congressional District, agreed.
"One of the clearest goals in the U.S. Constitution is to provide for the common defense," he said. "This building and this technology allow the depot to continue to fulfill its mission "
The depot is Bowie County's largest employer.
Red River Army Depot has survived two attempts to downsize or close it-the latest being in 2005-but still remains a vital part of both national military operations and the greater Texarkana community.
Although Texarkana had already existed for more than 65 years prior to the start of World War II, it became more than just a railroad junction with the construction of the depot in 1941.
Before the depot was built, the area consisted largely of farmland but little else. The vast complex changed the face of the land as well as face of the Four State area's economy.
The depot's completion and the subsequent local job market it created allowed Texarkana to rise out of the economic ravages left by the Great Depression.
World War II had just begun and by the time the United States joined it, RRAD's full operation caused unemployment in the Four States area to nearly vanquish.
As the war continued, thousands came to find jobs at this large military base, which covered some 36,000 acres of land and consisted of about 1,350 buildings.
The nearby town of Hooks, Texas, felt the depot's direct economic impact as that city's population bounced from about 250 to more than 2,000 in five years.
Texarkana residents converted many of their homes into apartments to supply the influx of job seekers with housing; they did the same for the returning servicemen and women once the war ended in 1945.
RRAD's employment power peaked at 11,570 in 1951 during the Korean War and continued to employ 5,200 by 1980 with an $83 million annual payroll.
By 2001, the depot still had an $81 million payroll as well as creating nearly $10 million in local purchasing contracts, which had and continue to have a major impact on region's economy.
Modern military weaponry including the Bradley fighting vehicle, multiple launch rocket systems and various other combat vehicles are still refurbished at the depot.
Patriot Missiles used in the Operation Iraqi Freedom came through RRAD.
As the Pentagon transforms the military's ever-changing technology, the depot is correspondingly attempting to modify its mission to keep up with the alterations.