The Army plans to build an $18 million Reserve headquarters at Fort Jackson — one of three new missions destined for the Columbia post following last year’s round of base closings.

The command, which is being relocated from Birmingham, Ala., will employ 260 full-time military and civilian personnel and 44 part-time reservists, said Army spokesman Maj. Bill Ritter.

The building will have about 80,000 square feet and house administrative offices and training areas for the Army’s new Southeast Regional Readiness Command.

Construction could begin as early as this fall and be completed by the middle of 2008, Ritter said. He added that the Army has not settled on a site for the structure.

Moving the command to Fort Jackson was recommended by U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and approved by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission, commonly called BRAC.

The Defense Department also plans to consolidate the Army’s drill sergeant schools at Fort Jackson and establish a center where all military chaplains will be trained.

Compared to the other missions moving to Fort Jackson, the Reserve headquarters project is on a fast track, an Army spokeswoman said. That’s because the headquarters in Alabama is not on a military base.

Security concerns raised by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks prompted the Pentagon to begin moving military units, including Reserve headquarters, behind the fences and gates of military bases.

Congress hasn’t yet appropriated the money for the chaplain center and drill sergeant school. An Army spokeswoman said a budget proposal covering costs of relocating and consolidating missions approved by the BRAC commission should reach Congress in 10 days.

Money to build a headquarters for the 3rd Army at Shaw Air Force Base — another Pentagon recommendation the BRAC commission approved — also is expected to be in the Army’s BRAC budget request, said Chuck Fant, spokesman for Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C. Spratt’s district includes the Sumter base.

The 3rd Army, located at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, works with the 9th Air Force in the Persian Gulf region. The 3rd Army expects to move 892 soldiers and civilians to Shaw.

Overall, BRAC should add about 1,800 military and civilian jobs at Midlands military installations.

Besides new missions for Shaw and Fort Jackson, the Air Force will be assigning about 420 airmen and moving nine F-16 fighters to McEntire Joint National Guard Base near Eastover.