MG Linda L. Singh Readiness Center Renaming & Ribbon Cutting
SYKESVILLE, Md. – The Maryland National Guard hosted a renaming and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Major General Linda L. Singh Readiness Center in Eldersburg, Maryland, on Oct. 22, 2022.
Governor Larry Hogan, who appointed retired Maj. Gen. Singh to the position as adjutant general of Maryland in 2015, spoke at the ceremony.
“I just want to express how proud I am and how proud we all are of each and every one of the men and women of the Maryland National Guard,” said Hogan. “That’s especially true today as we celebrate General Singh and the values that she upheld throughout her entire life: hard work, determination, and character.”
Dr. Linda Singh was the first African American and the first woman to lead the Maryland National Guard as the 29th adjutant general.
“In 1981, when I got the opportunity to put on the uniform, I couldn’t have imagined standing here and seeing the building named after me,” said Singh.
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Timothy E. Gowen, the adjutant general of Maryland, spoke of the accomplishments of Singh.
“We’re standing here in this beautiful new armory, which has been provided to us through an enormous feat of teamwork through local state and federal collaboration,” said Gowen. “Without the leadership of General Singh this would have never happened. It’s her vision, or tenacity that got us through a lot of difficult challenges to get this armory so it absolutely makes sense for us to name this beautiful armory after her.
Officials from the state, county, and local governments were in attendance.
The Maryland Army National Guard facility, which began construction in the autumn of 2018, supports the 200th Military Police Company and the 729th Quartermaster Company.
The 200th Military Police Company has a storied history from serving at the Pentagon within hours after terrorist attacks on 9/11 to a recent deployment to the Virgin Islands. The 729th Quartermaster Company returned from a deployment to Poland in 2020.
The 67,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility is located on 57 acres of state-owned land. The $30 million readiness center replaces armories in Ellicott City and Catonsville that were constructed in the 1950’s.
The LEED certified building was formerly called the Freedom Readiness Center. It is the first National Guard armory in Carroll County and supports the continued mission of the modernization of the MDNG.
The facility consists of two unit admin areas, four classrooms, an assembly hall, two maintenance training bays, two supply rooms with secure storage, a physical fitness room, commercial kitchen and a back-up generator.
