CHANDLER, Okla. — Gov. Kevin Stitt and other leaders are celebrating the eventual opening of a new Joint Operations Center with a ceremonial groundbreaking.
The 6,400-square-foot communications hub will be used by the Oklahoma National Guard in times of crisis. Stitt says the idea has been in talks for years, but the necessity became more apparent during the pandemic.
At the time, the Joint Operations Center had to be created in a makeshift classroom in Oklahoma City and it didn’t meet their needs.
“It was literally the most complex mission the National Guard had ever done and they did an amazing job,” Stitt said.
Adjutant Gen. Thomas Mancino says the Oklahoma National Guard played a critical role during the pandemic, from delivering PPE to daily briefings with the governor.
“Since then, we’ve come a long way,” said Mancino. “I think we are well positioned for any future issues we may have and this command center is a key component to that.”
By being in Chandler, Rep. Kevin Wallace says the new center is strategically placed.
“We really are right in the middle of the state,” Wallace said.
The $8 million project is being paid for with American Rescue Plan money. Construction is expected to start near the end of the year and take up to two years to complete.
The Joint Operations Center is the first part of a two-phase project, the second of which includes the building of a new training facility for the National Guard.
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