New York Guard Opens $3.5M Housing
Major General Ray Shields opened a 3,000-square-foot facility at Camp Smith on Oct. 29 to replace aging quarters for senior military leaders.
By Yuki Melnyk ·
Major General Ray Shields, the New York adjutant general, opened a new $3.5 million housing facility at Camp Smith Training Site in Cortlandt Manor on Oct. 29. The project replaces aging quarters for senior enlisted leaders and officers who train at the post.
The new Building 508A covers 3,000 square feet. It features single rooms with private latrines, a lounge, laundry facilities, and a break area. Lt. Col. Chad Clark, the base operations manager, described the space as meeting modern Army standards similar to a typical hotel room.
Shields stated that tangible investments in infrastructure send a supportive message to the state's 12,000-strong Army National Guard force. He argued that prioritizing modern workspaces and quarters directly impacts how troops view their service. “We need to focus on things that Soldiers see and the facilities that they use,” Shields said.
The state covered 25 percent of the cost for Building 508A. Shields noted that New York's fiscal backing sets it apart from other states. He highlighted this support during an Oct. 28 meeting in Washington, D.C., with Lt. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, director of the Army National Guard. “Most National Guard units in the country do not get the level of fiscal support and support from their governor’s office that we get,” Shields said.
New York has invested $493 million into military facilities over the past couple of years. Of that total, $165 million was funded directly by the state. The state will also fund a new firing range at Camp Smith.
Sharon Buck, executive deputy commissioner of the Office of General Services, said her agency supports the Division of Military and Naval Affairs. “OGS is proud to support our state’s Division of Military and Naval Affairs by ensuring that our National Guard members have the modern facilities that they need to serve and respond when called upon,” Buck said. She added that the project delivers on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s commitment to investing in New York institutions.
Planning is underway for a 24-unit housing complex to be built with federal funds behind Building 508A. The private firms that executed the build include Woodard & Curran, Robert Marino Architects, Environmental Design & Research, M/E Engineering, NASCO Construction Services, Vinco Builders, Hudson Valley Construction Management, and S&O Construction Services.
