Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A pair of modern buildings replaces seven out-of-date buildings at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport. Ceremonies Wednesday opened the 183rd Base Civil Engineer facility for the Illinois Air National Guard unit based there.

Illinois Adjutant General Rodney Boyd said the $15.8 million, 24,000-square-foot complex is more than just a couple of big, new buildings – it’s about people. “This is about training them,” said Boyd. “These buildings allow all of the 183d Wing’s civil engineers to train together. And if you can train together as a cohesive unit, then you fight together as the need arises.”

The facility is “a commitment to the long-term presence of the 183rd in Springfield,” said U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) It’s for real. No questions asked. And that, to me, is significant.”