SALEM, Ore. - The Umatilla Chemical Depot located in Umatilla, Oregon, was officially renamed the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, in honor of Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees, during a ceremony on September 29, 2022, highlighting the current transformation and development of the historic installation. 

Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, providing the state of Oregon and the United States with a ready force of Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen. Rees also held various high-level leadership positions in the National Guard Bureau. After he retired from military service in 2013, he served at the Deputy Secretary of the Army as a civilian. 

Several distinguished guest and local elected officials were in attendance for this ceremony, which will also impact the economy of Eastern Oregon for the foreseeable future. 

In 2017 a license was signed by the Oregon Military Department (OMD) to secure 7,500 of the depot’s former 17,055 acres as a training site for the Oregon National Guard. The Raymond F. Rees Training Center will be the home of the 249th Regional Training Institute, providing a premiere joint and inter-agency training facility. 

Since OMD received the property, over $60,000,000 has been invested in Construction, Modernization and Restoration. Projects have ranged from barracks, dining facilities, electrical and water infrastructure, waste water treatment facility, and a STARBASE Academy. Within the next three years, an additional $40,000,000 will be invested in modernized ranges, new ranges, and additional barracks.

Biography for Maj. Gen. (Ret) Raymond F. Rees: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_F._Rees

Full length recording of the ceremony: https://youtu.be/VUDasDwq9QQ

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Released images:

220929-Z-CM403-101: Maj. Gen. Michael Stencel, Adjutant General, addresses guests at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, in Umatilla, Oregon, in honor of Maj. Gen. (Ret) Raymond F. Rees, during a renaming ceremony of the installation in his honor on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (Oregon National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CM403-141: Gen. Daniel Hokanson, Chief, National Guard Bureau, gives remarks to guests at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, in Umatilla, Oregon, in honor of Maj. Gen. (Ret) Raymond F. Rees, during a renaming ceremony of the installation in his honor on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (Oregon National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CM403-157: State Senator, Bill Hansell, gives remarks to guests at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, in Umatilla, Oregon, in honor of Maj. Gen. (Ret) Raymond F. Rees, during a renaming ceremony of the installation in his honor on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army.(Oregon National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CM403-161: State Representative, Greg Smith, gives remarks to guests at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, in Umatilla, Oregon, in honor of Maj. Gen. (Ret) Raymond F. Rees, during a renaming ceremony of the installation in his honor on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army.  (Oregon National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CM403-202: (From L to R on stage) Gen. Daniel Hokanson, Chief, National Guard Bureau, Maj. Gen. Michael Stencel, Adjutant General and Maj. Gen. (Ret) Raymond F. Rees, watch as a Chinook helicopter flies over the new front gate at the Rees Training Center, in Umatilla, Oregon, in honor of Maj. Gen. (Ret) Rees, during a renaming ceremony of the installation on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (Oregon National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0033: Members of the Oregon Army National Gaud 234th Army Band participate in the ceremony for the official renaming service at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0130: Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau (left), Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon (center) render a hand salute to Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees (right), as Gen. Hokanson deferred 'Ruffles and Flourishes' to honor Rees to being the official renaming ceremony at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0356: Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, delivers remarks as the Keynote Speaker to guest and local officials during the official renaming ceremony at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0227: Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon, addresses guests and local officials as the host during the official renaming ceremony at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0238: Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees listens to remarks by Maj. Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau during the renaming ceremony at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0639: Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau (right), Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon (center) and Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees (left) share a private moment off-stage following the official renaming ceremony at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0568: (From Left to Right) Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon, friend of Mrs. Rees, Mrs. Mary Len Rees, Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees, Oregon State Senator, Bill Hansell, Oregon State Rep. Greg Smith and Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau pause for a group follow the Christening and Flyover for the renaming ceremony for Raymond F. Rees Training Center,, at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0461: Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees, Oregon, addresses guests and local officials during his formal remarks  for the official renaming ceremony at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

220929-Z-CH590-0060: Oregon Army National Guard Color Guard members render colors during the National Anthem to begin the renaming ceremony at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

Additional images: 

Group One:

https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7444432/former-army-depot-officially-renamed-honor-retired-general-raymond-f-rees

Group Two: 

https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7444130/former-army-depot-officially-renamed-honor-retired-general-raymond-f-rees

https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/rebuilding-salmon-and-steelhead-in-columbia-river-basin

NOAA Fisheries, with input from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has finalized the Rebuilding Interior Columbia Basin Salmon and Steelhead report. It identifies a comprehensive suite of actions with the greatest likelihood of making progress toward rebuilding Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead to healthy and harvestable levels. The final report follows the draft, which was released in July, and incorporates feedback from state and tribal fishery co-managers.

The recommended suite of actions to rebuild Columbia Basin stocks include: increasing habitat restoration, reintroducing salmon into blocked areas, breaching dams, managing predators, reforming fish hatcheries and harvest and reconnecting floodplain habitat.

“This is a crucial time for the Columbia Basin’s salmon and steelhead. They face increasing pressure from climate change and other longstanding stressors including water quality and fish blockages caused by dams,” said Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries and acting assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere at NOAA. “The report identifies goals for the recovery of salmon and steelhead that will require a sustained commitment over many decades.”

The actions reflected in the report convey the urgency behind the Columbia Basin Partnership’s 2020 recommendations that merely avoiding extinction of native salmon and steelhead is not enough. Instead, the Partnership called for healthy and harvestable numbers that contribute fully to the culture, environment and economy of the region. The report is not a regulatory document, but rather is intended to inform and contribute to regional conversations and funding decisions.

The Columbia Basin Partnership expressed the hope that in 20 years, the people of the Columbia Basin would view the Partnership's work and the resulting efforts as “a turning point for the return of healthy and abundant salmon and steelhead to the Columbia River.” The report represents one step toward that important goal. 

The final report will inform ongoing dialogues about salmon restoration and decisions regarding allocation of resources for recovery actions. The rebuilding actions can also help restore fish populations to meet long standing commitments to Columbia Basin tribes.

Resources: 

Final Report: Rebuilding Interior Columbia Basin Salmon and Steelhead 

A Vision for Salmon and Steelhead: Goals to Restore Thriving Salmon and Steelhead to the Columbia River Basin

The Northwest Power and Conservation Council will hold its Fish and Wildlife Committee meeting on October 4, and Power Committee meeting on October 5, both by webinar.

See the agenda and how to attend.