Area residents have watched steel beams go up, red and tan bricks get placed and green roofs installed on new buildings inside the new brigade complex off Highway 144 just across from Liberty Woods. With construction moving along and several buildings completed, the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is preparing to move to its new home.
The 4th IBCT, or Vanguard brigade, currently is deployed to Iraq, but early redeployers will begin moving into the complex’s barracks in late spring, 4th IBCT rear detachment commander Lt. Col. Michael Todd said.
“Mid-May will be our first redeploying flight, then starting again in early to mid June,” Todd said.
The complex can house up to 1,438 soldiers, he said.
“The brigade will maximize the capacity available with the number of single soldiers assigned,” Todd said.
In addition to soldiers moving into the barracks, the brigade’s equipment and vehicles also will be transported to the new complex. 
“Initially, flatbed trucks will be used to move equipment containers to the new brigade complex, then later in July tactical vehicles will move to the Tactical Equipment Maintenance Facilities (TEMF) once we draw them,” the commander said.
The initial set of the brigade’s vehicles, roughly 90, as well as the remainder of the brigade’s vehicles will be driven to their new TEMFs, minus some engineer equipment that will be hauled on trailers, according to Fort Stewart public affairs.
“Since we are an Infantry Brigade Combat Team, we don’t have tracked vehicles such as M1 Abrams Tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles or M109A6 Paladins,” Todd said.
Designed with a light brigade in mind, the new complex also is special because it is the first contiguous brigade complex to be built at Fort Stewart, said Directorate of Public Works Technical Services Branch Chief Will Abrams.
“Everything the brigade needs to fulfill daily operations from the Combined Brigade Battalion Headquarters to the Company Operations Facilities, motor pools, dining facility, the physical fitness facility and the medical clinic — when completed — are all on one 400-plus-acre site, and all of the facilities are easily within walking distance of one another,” Abrams said. “We had the opportunity to design and build everything a brigade needs from physical training and training areas to daily operations and support facilities into one complete secured site.”
Pvt. 1st Class Patrick Lindstrom of 4th Brigade is excited about moving into the new barracks. Lindstrom said he likes the privacy and size of the rooms, the beds’ thicker mattresses and washers and dryers in every room. Having his own oven in the kitchen is extra special, he said.
“I enjoy cooking,” Lindstrom said.
Abrams looks forward to hearing more soldiers express their anticipation about the new complex.
“It has been a true honor and a privilege to be able to work on this project since the first shovels went into the ground through to the closing out and turnover of these facilities to their new owners, the 4th brigade,” he said.
“I can honestly say that this is a beautiful, well-built facility, and I can’t wait to see reactions and hear soldiers’ comments as they take occupation of it after serving our nation proudly overseas.”