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By Myrna Trauntvein A ground breaking for a new vehicle maintenance facility and a Utah Army National Guard grand opening and open house for its brand new $27 million, 55,000-square-foot Nephi Readiness Center, were both held on June 2, 2026. The location of the Nephi Readiness Center and the future attached vehicle maintenance shop, are located at 2378 West Airport Lane, Nephi, (adjacent to the Nephi Municipal Airport). “This project represents years of planning and perseverance,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Thalman. “The new readiness center provides modern facilities capable of supporting today’s soldiers and mission requirements.” The new Nephi Readiness Center is returning a permanent National Guard presence to the community for the first time in more than 30 years. The readiness center will be the home of the 1457th Engineer Battalion. The readiness center includes geothermal systems, backup generators, a self-contained septic system and enhanced earthquake resistance to support continued operations during emergencies and disaster response missions. The community can now visit and view the state-of-the-art Nephi Readiness Center, which brought a permanent Guard presence back to central Utah. Jacobsen Construction, who will build the unique facility, said construction would now be underway on the vehicle maintenance shop that will help the Utah National Guard honor their “Always Ready, Always There!” motto. “It is a 30-acre site,” said Justin Seely, Nephi mayor. He said that, after the National Guard Armory was closed in Nephi, it had been missed by the community. In the days when it was open, there were wrestling tournaments held there as well as other community events. “The Battalion was in American Fork and now they have brought it back to Nephi,” Seely said. The facility serves as the permanent home to the 1457th Engineer Battalion and improves disaster and emergency response capabilities in rural Utah. Nyle Robinson said he had hoped to see an area devoted to memorabilia from the days when the National Guard had been an important part of the community. There were bits of the history displayed on the walls throughout the building. He said he had a family connection to the National Guard through grandparents and his son. “It is a beautiful setting,” said Shari Cowan, council member. “The tour made me nostalgic.” She said she was an elementary school student when the Nephi unit was called to serve in Desert Storm. There was a community send off for them. “I saw my teacher, Norm Wood, and Kam Wright both leave,” she said. Devoted citizen soldiers with expertise in engineering and fleet maintenance will use state-of-the-art mechanic stations to keep essential military vehicles at peak performance. Whether it’s in response to a wildfire, flood, earthquake or any other serious crisis, the 1457th Engineer Battalion based here will be well-positioned to reach rural Utahns and repair critical infrastructure in times of emergency. Seely said that he had been told that the facility would be available for community events. He remembered days at the old Armory when wrestling mats had been laid out on the floor there and immediately scanned the open space determining that it would hold a lot of wrestling mats. “It would be further for kids to bike than it was for kids back then,” he said. “But Donald Ball did it on his trike the day of the event.” Ball responded that his “trike” went about 15 miles per hour and kids with modern bikes would leave him in the dust so they could make the ride. The new Nephi Readiness Center will be the new home to three UNG Units, including the 1457 Delta Company. According to information released by the Guard, the facility is anticipated for use by approximately 2,000 personnel, supported by an estimated 100 vehicles, trailers and specialty equipment. The center will be used as a facility for both classroom and tactical training. Unlike other readiness centers, this facility will be a stand-alone facility located on 30 acres of ground adjacent to the Nephi Municipal Airport, approximately one mile northwest of downtown Nephi. Because of the location of the site, basic utilities and services are limited. This has created the opportunity to explore creative alternatives for energy generation and the need for key utility connections. The Nephi Readiness Center is envisioned to be a true “stand-alone” facility for the community, able to operate in severe crisis mode and also available to host community events.
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