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New Mississippi National Guard maintenance shop opens in Brandon

By Marie Mennefield Aug 21, 2024 | 4:24 PM

BRANDON, Miss. (WJTV) – The Mississippi National Guard (MSNG) hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday at a new maintenance shop in Brandon.

The Brandon Field Maintenance Shop, FMS #9, is located at 122 Metropolitan Lane, off of Interstate 20, Exit 54 behind the General Motors Corporation building. 

The recently completed project is comprised of two building areas, including a more than 37,000 sq. ft. vehicle maintenance shop, tool rooms, supply rooms and storage areas. The other building area includes an administration building with offices, a classroom, and community space on-site.

“This is a great day for the Mississippi National Guard, which means by definition, it’s a great day for America. Obviously, they’re going to have the ability to bring significant assets into this facility, work on them to make sure that our men and women in uniform have the equipment that they need, that if we were to deploy, that we have the equipment we need to be successful in whatever that deployment looks like,” said Gov. Tate Reeves (R-Miss.).

FMS #9 will provide daily maintenance support services, ensuring equipment readiness for Mississippi National Guard mobilization efforts and natural disaster response and relief mission reaching far into the future.

“They will be able to bring these vehicles and do the services on them and then bring them back out to the units to be able to accomplish those missions, either being here in the state, the nation or overseas, depending upon where those were at. So, it makes sure that we’re able to support readiness here in the state,” said Colonel Rick Weaver, Construction and Facilities Management officer.

“This is the most dangerous period that we’ve had since World War II. And facilities like this are going to help our Guardsmen and help them help the rest of the military in keeping us peaceful and keeping us out of war,” said U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

FMS #9 will support more than 1,100 pieces of military equipment from 34 units within the Mississippi National Guard, providing more than 35 full-time positions.