PORT HUENEME : Navy Salutes Opening of Reserve Center

U. S. Navy officials opened a new $2.4-million naval reserve center on the grounds of the Port Hueneme Naval Construction Battalion Center during formal ceremonies Sunday.

The facility will be headquarters for 600 reservists who live in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, said Lt. Cmdr. James W. Patton, the reserve center’s commanding officer.

“The old building was nice because it was right on the harbor and was bigger, but this new facility is great because we’re on an active Navy base,” Patton said.

The reserve center relocated to the Port Hueneme base after being in a building owned by the city of Santa Barbara for 50 years.

The new building is about 14,000 square feet and sits in an office complex on the Seabee base.

“Many of the reservists in our command are former active Seabees,” Patton said. “We don’t have all the lockers in place yet, but we’ve already gone to work. We’re going to be comfortable here.”