WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today reported that legislation moving through Congress contains more than $292 million to support New Mexico's military installations and National Guard facilities.
The Senate's version of the fiscal year 2011 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies (MilCon/VA) Appropriations bill has cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now ready for full Senate consideration.
The measure contains funding for important projects requested by Senators Bingaman and Udall, including $14 million for the construction of a new airmen dormitory at Cannon Air Force Base, where recent growth has led to a shortage of available, affordable housing either on base or in the surrounding community. It also includes $29 million for new barracks at the White Sands Missile Range.
"New Mexico's military installations play a key role in supporting our county's national security objectives. This funding will help ensure our facilities are in top shape and also help make quality of life improvements for the men and women who serve our nation proudly," Bingaman said.
"New Mexico plays a key role in our national defense, and this spending bill will help ensure that our military installations have the resources they need to carry out their important missions," Udall said. "In addition, we have a duty to provide our military men and women with a comfortable and secure home while they serve our country. Funding in this bill for new living spaces at Cannon and White Sands are an important step forward in meeting that responsibility."
The MilCon/VA appropriations bill contains the following:
NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE:
$8.5 Million - Improvements to Army Guard Readiness Center in Farmington: Funding would be used to renovate and expand the existing readiness center to provide a larger, modernized facility for training of unit personnel and maintenance and readiness of unit equipment.
$11.4 Million - Construction of New Army Reserve Facilities in Las Cruces: Funding would be used to acquire land and construct a new Army Reserve Center training building, Organizational Maintenance Shop (OMS), unheated storage building, and organizational parking.
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE:
$14 Million - New Dormitory for Cannon Air Force Base: Funding will be used to construct a three-story, four-plex style dormitory with 96 rooms.
$20 Million - UAS Squadron Ops Facility at Cannon Air Force Base: Funding will be used to construct a facility for Unmanned Aircraft System Squadron Operations.
$24.622 Million - New MC-130J Hangar at Cannon Air Force Base: Funding would be used to construct a hangar of adequate size and configuration to house new MC-130J tanker-style planes.
$12.636 Million - Improvements to Parking Apron at Cannon Air Force Base: Funding would be used to pave a parking apron that provides parking space, tie-down points, service points, and line maintenance areas for aircraft. This parking area is necessary to create room for the MC-130J aircraft that become a part of Cannon's force as the 27th SOW continues to expand its presence on the base.
$26.006 Million - Improvements to Parking Apron at Cannon Air Force Base: Funding would be used to pave a parking apron for large aircraft up to the C-130 size.
$39.674 Million - Operations and Training Complex at Cannon Air Force Base: Funding would be used to construct a training and operations complex for the Special Operations Forces whose mission on the base will increase dramatically over the next few years.
$13.287 Million - Improvements to Simulator Facility at Cannon Air Force Base: Funding would be used for additions and alterations to the new Simulator Facility for the MC-130J aircraft. The aircraft simulator facility will provide mission rehearsals and crew training prior to the arrival of the aircraft to Cannon in coming years.
$4.05 Million - New Family Support Center at Cannon Air Force Base: Funding would be used to construct a new family support center that provides essential financial and family counseling/education, relocation information, and employment/transition assistance to airmen and their families.
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE:
$3.8 Million - Expansion of Aerial Delivery Building at Kirtland Air Force Base: Funding would be used to construct a 600 square meter addition to the Aerial Delivery Building, which is currently near maximum capacity and insufficient to support the projected increased workload.
$6.46 Million - New Armament Shop at Kirtland Air Force Base: Funding would be used to construct a 1,000 square meter armament shop, which services weapons systems in aircraft flown by the 58th Special Operations Wing and transient aircraft.
$14.142 Million - New Fuel System Maintenance Facility at Kirtland Air Force Base: Funding would be used to construct a new H/MC-130 Fuel System maintenance facility. The one existing fuel system maintenance dock is at maximum capacity and cannot support additional aircraft.
$4.4 Million - New Military Working Dog Facility at Kirtland Air Force Base: Funding would be used to construct a military working dog (MWD) facility, including 14 indoor/outdoor kennels and 4 isolation kennels, exercise facilities, and necessary infrastructure. The present MWD facility is a worn-out, undersize, and outdated structure built in 1954 and converted to a kennel in 1978. More than a dozen MWDs at Kirtland support USAD operations on-base and worldwide.
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE:
$15.47 Million - Renovation of Hangar at Holloman Air Force Base: Funding will be used to repair, renovate and expand the existing maintenance hangar. Project will include renovation, reinforced concrete foundations and floor slabs, masonry walls, metal roof systems, updating electrical systems and lighting, fire detection/suppression, utilities, site improvements, communications support, and all other necessary support.
$22.5 Million - Construction of UAS Hangar at Holloman Air Force Base: Funding will be used to construct an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Maintenance Hangar to accommodate additional MQ-1 and MQ-9 airframes, which require covered parking and maintenance space.
WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE:
$29 Million - New Barracks for White Sands Missile Range: Funding will be used to construct a group of new living quarters totaling approximately 108,336 square feet. These facilities will improve the quality of life for the soldiers by providing new living quarters within walking distance to work areas, headquarters, and the dining facility.
$22.9 Million - New Health and Dental Clinic at White Sands Missile Range: Funding would be used to construct a new 29,353 square foot Health Clinic and a new 5,422 square foot Dental Clinic.
