Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Tuesday, September 7, 1999

Release #341-99

Contact: Mayor's Office: 212-788-2958
Department of Defense: 212-784-0143


MAYOR GIULIANI AND ARMY SECRETARY LOUIS CALDERA REDEDICATE TIMES SQUARE ARMED FORCES RECRUITMENT STATION

Country's Most Successful Recruiting Station Reopens After Year-long Renovation

Secretary Caldera Administers Oath of Enlistment to 40 New Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, Army Secretary Louis Caldera, and various Military officials today rededicated the Times Square Armed Forces Recruiting Station following a year-long $600,000 renovation financed by the Army Corps of Engineers. The Mayor also issued a proclamation declaring today Times Square Armed Forces Recruiting Station Rededication Day in New York City.

"It's an honor to be here today to rededicate the most prominent and visible Armed Forces Recruiting Station in the country, and it's only appropriate that it's located here in Times Square, the Crossroads of the World," said Mayor Giuliani. "Each year millions of people come to Times Square to walk under the bright lights and visit one of the most revitalized parts of New York City. This new Station, with its two neon 35-foot American flags, will no doubt become one of the most photographed sites in Times Square.

"Responsible for enlisting thousands of men and women to serve in the United States Armed Forces, this Station, in symbol and in reality, has contributed to the strength of our Armed Forces and to the strength and stability of our democracy," the Mayor continued. "Through the dedication and hard work of the local Armed Force recruiters this Station is an important part of our City's landscape and a symbol of our freedom for all to see. I want to commend the recruiters who have been so successful over the years, and thank all those involved in making this renovation such a success."

Army Secretary Caldera said, "With a new look in Times Square, a new generation of Americans will be called to join the great tradition of New Yorkers who have served our country in uniform with courage and distinction."

Following a careful review by the Department of Defense and New York City last year, the decision was made to modernize the Station in keeping with the recent changes in Times Square. The renovations, which were financed by the Army Corps of Engineers, were designed to make the Station more attractive to potential recruits and make the office more comfortable for its staff, with the inclusion of a restroom, a feature not included for the 52 years of the Station's existence. The new Station, which is encircled by two neon 35-foot American flags, features an 18-foot video screen that will display military recruiting messages.

During the ceremony Oliver M. Mendell, Chairman of the USO of Metropolitan New York, presented a commemorative plague in honor of the 145 New Yorkers who have received the Medal of Honor - the highest decoration awarded by the United States for exceptional heroism - which will hang in the recruitment station.

The original station, built in 1946, was a 360-square-foot stainless steel and glass structure and was the nation's first one-stop joint Armed Forces recruiting facility. Today the Times Square Recruiting Station serves as the busiest walk-in recruiting office in the country, recruiting thousands of men and women each year.

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