As deployment looms, Guardsmen secure first look at new Ontario readiness center
Commander says Ontario citizen-soldier outfit ready for any challenge
By Pat Caldwell
Argus Observer
PatC@argusobserver.com
Thursday, October 22, 2009 11:15 AM PDT
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| Member of Ontario’s Oregon Army National Guard outfit, Charlie Company, 3rd battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment begin a tour of the new Ontario Readiness Center Sunday. Their commander, Capt. Seth Musgrove, said his unit is ready to tackle any challenge. |
No one could blame Oregon Army National Guard Capt. Seth Musgrove if he is pleased his unit of citizen-soldiers stands poised
to man the new Ontario Readiness Center.
The commander of Ontario’s Guard unit, Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry, Musgrove divides his time between two Eastern Oregon towns every month.
In La Grande, he lives with his wife and young child.
Then, once a month or more, he travels to Ontario to manage more than 40 part-time soldiers.
Now he is about to garner a new second home.
A $14 million one.
Musgrove conceded he is pleased about the chance to man a new facility like the Ontario Readiness Center.
Last weekend, Musgrove led his soldiers through a series of tours of the new Ontario Readiness Center on Southwest Fourth Street. For many, it was the first time they’d seen the new Guard, dual-use facility up close.
“We are only a few months away from moving into it,” Musgrove said.
While the new facility will be his place of duty until he rotates out of command of Charlie Company, Musgrove said the readiness center is not his or Charlie Company’s. Instead, he said, the facility is the community’s.
One of Musgrove’s platoon leaders, 1st Lt. Jamie Roscoe, agreed.
“I think it will be a great facility for the community to use,” he said.
The Ontario Guard unit citizen-soldiers were impressed after their tour Sunday.
“Pretty unbelievable,” Staff Sgt. Brian Allender, Ontario, said as he walked through the new facility.
“This is awesome,” he said. “This is more than I expected.”
Another Charlie Company Guardsman, Trent Quintero said the new facility would help his unit.
“I like it. It is going to make the unit more cohesive,” he said.
Musgrove said the Ontario Readiness Center made a clear impression on his citizen-soldiers.
“I think it created a renewed energy. I saw lots of smiles, and I think a lot of them are aching to get in. It will give our unit the opportunity to grow,” he said.
Deployment on the horizon
As Charlie Company prepares to take charge of the new readiness center; it will do so with the specter of a possible deployment overseas looming.
Ontario’s Guard unit is just one outfit in Eastern Oregon’s 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment.
The 3rd Battalion, and sister battalions in Idaho and Montana, collectively make up the 116th.
The 116th was recently placed on alert for a possible deployment.
If the deployment occurs, it will be the second time in five years the unit has moved overseas.
Musgrove, who served as a young platoon commander in the Ontario unit the last time it deployed, said he is not worried about another overseas stint.
“It (a deployment) does not worry me because I train these soldiers at the same standard,” he said.
Another big plus, Musgrove said, is about a quarter of the Charlie Company Guardsmen are veterans.
“That’s calming for me because these guys can share their experience. They promote a lot of stability. They will be prepared mentally,” he said.
Musgrove said he carries a high degree of confidence regarding his unit.
“I’m not worried about much. I have no doubt we will be successful if we deploy,” he said.
