A large National Guard training center is planned for north Alabama.
Gov. Robert Bentley and state Sen. Arthur Orr of Decatur announced that the training center will be developed on the old site of the Lurleen B. Wallace Developmental Center in Decatur. The facility was operated by the state Department of Mental Health until it closed a decade ago. The Department of Mental Health turned over the deed to the National Guard on Thursday.
Bentley said the site will provide training for Alabama's National Guard members and those from other states. National Guard Gen. Perry Smith said the training will involve responding to and mitigating natural and man-made disasters.
The training center is supposed to be completely operational by the end of 2017.