July 15, 2010

Durbin: Senate Appropriations Committee Approves More Than $58 Million for Military Construction Projects in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which he is a member, has approved $58,488,000 in federal funding for military construction projects in Illinois.

 

The Fiscal Year 2011 Appropriations Bill for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs includes funding for the following Illinois projects:

  • United States Army Reserve Center, Rockford:  $13,200,000 in funding for acquisition of 15 acres and construction of an Army Reserve Center – a 200 member training facility with administrative, educational, assembly, library, learning center, weapons vault, weapons simulator, and physical fitness areas for nine Army Reserve units.  A maintenance shop will provide work bays and maintenance administrative support.  In addition, adequate parking space for all military and privately-owned vehicles will be provided.  Without this facility, units will be forced to operate and train in facilities not properly configured to allow the most effective training to complete mission requirements, negatively impacting training and retention objectives.  This facility would replace small, outdated facilities in Rockford, Illinois and Beloit, Wisconsin.

 

  • Army Reserve Center/Land Acquisition, Quincy: $12,200,000 in funding for land acquisition and construction of a 150-member training facility with administrative, educational, assembly, library, learning center, vault, weapons simulator and physical fitness areas for an Army Reserve Transportation Company.  This facility is necessary to support additional Brigade Combat Teams currently being activated by the Army.  Without the new facility, the Army Reserve will not be able to support the new brigades when they are deployed to meet current and future war fighting missions.  This initiative was included in the President’s 2011 Budget.

 

  • CNAF Beddown/Upgrade Facilities, Springfield:  $16,700,000 in funding to convert existing facilities to support the immediate requirements of the Component Numbered Air Force (cNAF) mission at Capital Municipal Airport in Springfield, which provides command and control capabilities to Air Force Combatant Commanders.  This project will allow the new cNAF at Springfield to provide real-time command and control for air operations for US Southern Command.  Significant reconfiguration, including security, communications, and standby power, is required in order to meet new mission needs.  This initiative was included in the President’s 2011 Budget.

 

  • Combined Support Maintenance Shop (Addition/Alteration), Camp Lincoln, Springfield: $15,000,000 in funding for construction of an addition/alternation to the Combined Support Maintenance Shop that is required in order to maintain equipment for training and ensure mobilization-readiness.  The current facility is in poor condition, does not meet current building codes and is half the size authorized to support the facility mission.  Without the addition and alteration, the present facility’s lack of adequate space will reduce maintenance efficiency, training and mobilization readiness standards will continue to decline.  This initiative was included in the President’s 2011 Budget.

 

  • Field Command Facility Upgrade, Scott Air Force Base: $1,388,000 in funding for planning and design of upgrades to the field command facilities of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) that will improve delivery of information and technology.  Scott Air Force Base is home to two DISA combatant command field offices which require facilities to efficiently deploy the latest technologies to further operational missions.  This funding will allow the Department of Defense to begin planning for facility upgrades to ensure that infrastructure limitations do not hinder unit operations.  This initiative was included in the President’s 2011 Budget.