NW FLORIDA MILITARY INSTALLATIONS TO RECEIVE MORE CONSTRUCTION MONEY

As I noted before, Eglin AFB and the surrounding military installations are in the crosshairs of the military. Reasons are, the new F-35 Training Program, Special Operations Units of the Air Force and Army here now, and the strategic location of our military installations, which brings cost efficiencies in the military budget. In a recent briefing with the retiring Secretary of Defense, he noted with the climatic of reducing the military budget, two of the most important programs needed in our national defense, is the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and Special Operations. Guess what folks, what are the two most significant programs moved to our area. All I can say, you haven’t seen nothing yet.

Local installations in line for $85.5 million in military construction funds
Mona Moore
2011-07-21 19:36:31
The House and Senate have passed military construction bills that will send $85.5 million to local installations in the next fiscal year. “These projects will give a boost to the local economy and help our military immensely,” said Sen. Bill Nelson in an email to the Daily News. The Senate approved its funding bill Thursday. The House passed its legislation last month. The spending plan, which includes military construction funds for bases and airports throughout the country, still must receive final approval.“Now, both the House and Senate versions of the construction bill will head to conference to reconcile differences. Once that’s done, a final version will have to go back to each chamber for approval before heading to the President,” said Bryan Gulley, a member of Nelson’s staff. None of the differences include local projects. Because the House and Senate bills allocated the same amount of funds, the local spending is not up for discussion and will be included in the final bill that reaches President Barack Obama. Most of Eglin Air Force Base’s funds are for Special Operations Forces. The Army 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) cantonment will soon have its own medical clinic to save troops the 20-mile drive to Eglin’s base hospital. Congress allocated $11.6 million to provide lab, pharmacy, radiology, physical therapy, dental, behavioral health, audiology and optometry services at the clinic. The spending plan also includes $40 million to build two company operations facilities and finish a third building for the 7th Special Forces. Nearly $10 million will be directed to Air Force Special Operations forces at Hurlburt Field. About $3.2 million will pay for two “hush houses,” soundproof buildings to be used for maintenance work on Hurlburt Field’s C-130 fleet. The other $6.3 million will buy simulators for the Aviation Foreign Internal Defense squadron training. Whiting Field in Santa Rosa County is set to receive more than $24 million. The biggest chunk, $20.6 million, will pay for an Explosive Ordinance Device instruction facility. The rest will fund a 600-gallon-per-minute, two-position unloading station to replace the current 50-year-old facility, which “is in poor condition and lacks impervious spill containment pavements, adequate fuel filtration and safety features,” according to a brief from Nelson’s staff.