Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel    
    
        Special Victims Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  News Features
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 Iowa Guard Engineers Renovate old Schoolhouse By Staff Sgt. Tawny Schmit,
                135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
 JOHNSTON, Iowa – A school teacher named Lena Mosier once wrote a farewell tribute to the Herrold School House, which still stands, vacant, in Camp Dodge. It began like this: “Early in September of 1912 a new white frame schoolhouse awaited the influx of the first long line of pupils who would pass through its portals for fifty-four years to come. Those first pupils came by horse and buggy, some driving many miles to attend . . . but in 1917, war had broken out in Europe and threatened world conflagration . . . Farmers were deprived of their homes in order to make way for a new military camp that, at its peak, housed 65,000 men.” The tribute is kept in a manila folder in the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum’s research library. With it are old photos and newspaper articles that serve as a reminder that the small town of Herrold existed - before its schoolhouse became the last building standing as the town merged, slowly, into the folds of Camp Dodge. Just as the schoolhouse changed throughout history – at one point it even housed Army officers – it continues to change today, as Iowa Army National Guard Soldiers renovate the structure to modernize the training area. “We’re going to keep the schoolhouse sign and try our best to keep it historically accurate on the outside,” said Sgt. 1st Class Matthew McKee, project manager at Camp Dodge Training Site. “The inside will be pretty much gutted and be two different rooms, and the basement will be made structurally sound.” The idea, said McKee, is to allow Soldiers to use the schoolhouse as a tactical operations center. They will be able to set up wireless communications to simulate a temporary operations center during conflict. The 831st Engineer Company based out of Middletown is helping complete the schoolhouse renovation. The unit has the opportunity to finish projects at Camp Dodge during annual training, which allows Camp Dodge Training Site to source the work locally and provide training for Soldiers. “For a majority of these guys, it’s their first time pouring concrete,” said Sgt. David Kern, an interior electrician with the 831st EC. Kern supervised as his team made a new sidewalk outside the schoolhouse. “They did pretty good,” he said. “It was a learning experience and kind of a crawling phase to get ready for bigger projects.” Spc. Brayton Chesnut, an interior electrician new to the unit, said spending his first annual training doing real projects had been exciting. “Pouring concrete slab is something new,” said Chesnut, “but being able to set up the structure, which can be difficult, was fun because we figured out the best way by using two-by-fours, and everyone pitched in to help. It’s just awesome.” In addition to the schoolhouse project, the 831st EC is pouring new sidewalks outside the Joint Force Headquarters building, installing electrical capabilities and a ventilation system for a new gas chamber and building the foundations of an Infantry Squad Battle Course. Camp Dodge had used an old, empty fuel tank to train Soldiers on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear safety procedures. It had no windows or ventilation system. The Missouri Army National Guard’s 220th Engineer Construction Company built the new structure during its annual training and handed it off to the 831st EC to continue the work. “This new chamber is very modernized with a better ventilation system and can hold more people,” said McKee. After the 831st EC completes the electrical and ventilation work, Camp Dodge Training Site will finish the project by installing doors and windows. Of all the projects slated for Camp Dodge, the new Infantry Squad Battle Course is perhaps the most ambitious. The 831st EC is helping to complete the first phase, which includes using front-end loaders to build berms. “[Infantry squads] will be working from west to east,” said Staff Sgt. Dillon Long, a horizontal construction engineer with the 831st EC. “We’re setting up the berms so they can use them for cover, concealment and bounding. There will be a berm across the road from the trenches to have an unmanned moving Humvee to attack.” Eventually, squads will be able to engage individual targets with rubber bullets as they navigate the berms. McKee said another long-term goal is to install lanes for realistic mounted warfare training, where Soldiers can drive through in tactical vehicles while engaging targets. While Camp Dodge no longer houses 65,000 Soldiers as it did during the peak of the World Wars, it has become a hub of sustainment and maneuver training for National Guard, Reserve and Active component units. The logistical efforts on behalf of Camp Dodge Training Site and the hard work of supporting engineering units will help modernize Iowa’s largest military training base. “I like my job. I get to bring in units from different parts of the country to help maintain and improve our properties,” said McKee. “I’m hoping to branch out even broader as we try to start even bigger projects.”
 SHARE
 PRINT
  Camp Dodge
 Iowa National Guard
 modernization
 80 Years Ago, National Guard Units Played Key Role in D-Day Landings News Features • 18 hours ago
 Retiring Illinois Guard Artillery Gun Chief Fires Final Rounds News Features • 5 days ago
 Hawaii Guardsman Finds Success in Aviation, Infantry Journey News Features • 5 days ago
 Connecticut World War I Soldier Awarded Purple Heart News Features • 8 days ago
 Oregon National Guard Honors Decorated Vietnam Veteran News Features • 14 days ago
 2024 (43)  2023 (107)  2022 (121)  2021 (119)  2020 (203)  2019 (208)  2018 (165)  2017 (164)  2016 (109)  2015 (52)
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil