Kentucky Maneuver Area Training Equipment Site (MATES)

The Kentucky Maneuver Area Training Equipment Site (MATES) is a National Guard maintenance activity that receives, stores, secures, maintains and issues major rolling-stock items of military equipment. The MATES was established for pre-positioning of selected items of equipment for immediate availability in the event of mobilization and for providing assets to units conducting both annual and inactive duty training. To accomplish its mission the MATES employs a full-time force of highly skilled maintenance and supply technicians responsible for ensuring a high degree of material readiness.

The Kentucky MATES traces its origin back to the Weekend Training Equipment Pool #1 (WETEP #1) which commenced operation on 12 September 1971. The WETEP was one of the nation’s first maintenance operations of its kind.

The first employees were Edmund Taylor, Foreman; Estill Martin, Roger Milburn and Bobby Jones. The WETEP was located on the corner of Radio Street and 9th Avenue at Fort Knox, Kentucky. In 1976, the name was changed to Unit Training & Equipment Site (UTES #1). In June 1994, the UTES was redesignated as MATES and shortly thereafter moved to Farmers Motor Park on the corner of North Delaware Avenue and 2nd Dragoon Road, Fort Knox, Kentucky. On 5 December 1997, the current home of the Kentucky MATES was dedicated.

CW4 (R) Edmund H. Taylor

On June 24, 2003 the breakroom of the facility was named in honor of CW4 (R) Edmund H. Taylor. CW4 Edmund H. “Eddie” Taylor was the first supervisor of the first Kentucky Army National Guard maintenance facility located on Fort Knox. The Kentucky Army National Guard Weekend Training Equipment Pool (WETEP), began operation on 12 September 1971 and was one of the first maintenance operations of its kind in the nation.

The WETEP was located on the corner of Radio Street and 9th Avenue. CW4 Taylor led the WETEP as it made the transition into a Unit Training Equipment Site (UTES) in 1976. The UTES ultimately evolved into the Kentucky Mobilization and Training Equipment Site (MATES). CW4 Taylor retired as Foreman, February 1983, and from the military in February 1984, with forty years of service.