(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) announced that she has worked to include more than $467 million in funding for military installations throughout Washington state in the Fiscal Year 2009 military construction budget. The funding for Washington’s military installations was included in the Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MILCON/VA) Appropriations bill that passed the full Senate Appropriations Committee today. Senator Murray is a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and the MILCON/VA Appropriations Subcommittee.
"Our state’s military installations play a critical role not only in the security of our state and local communities, but in the defense of our nation," said Senator Murray. "This bill makes significant new investments in both our facilities and our military men and women by giving them the resources to grow, invest in new technology, and adjust to their changing missions."
The bill includes two projects located at McChord Air Force Base outside of Tacoma and Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane that would not have been funded without Murray’s support.
McChord Air Force Base – 262nd Information Warfare Aggressor Squadron Facility – $8.6 Million
This funding will be used to build a new cyber-warfare facility for the Washington State National Guard’s 262nd Information Warfare Aggressor Squadron (IWAS) at McChord Air Force Base. The IWAS’s work includes a variety of cyber-security missions including mimicking potential cyber-attacks on the U.S. homeland in order to build more secure systems. The $8.6 million that Senator Murray worked to include in today’s bill provides full funding for a new IWAS facility that would include secure computer networks, new classrooms and highly secure storage space.
"The next threat to our nation may very well come in the form of a cyber attack that could put our military and economy at risk," said Senator Murray. "That’s why we need to fully support the IWAS team that is on the front lines of our cyber-security defenses. This funding will build a state-of-the art-facility that will allow IWAS to continue to challenge – and therefore improve – our cyber security systems."
"The Washington Air Guard’s 262 Information Warfare Aggressor Squadron provides unique computer skills that are critical to defending our nation’s cyber interests," said Brigadier Gary Magonigle Washington State Assistant Adjutant General for Air. "This new facility replaces the squadron’s current 1950s-era building with a state-of-the art structure suitable for conducting 21st century cyber operations."
Hangar 1001 Improvement Project – Fairchild Air Force Base – $766,000
This funding will allow the Washington Army National Guard to redesign Hangar 1001 at Fairchild Air Force Base in order to accommodate the Guard’s helicopter fleet. The facility is needed as a temporary solution for helicopter storage while the Washington National Guard works to build a permanent structure at Geiger Field.
"The Washington National Guard’s helicopter fleet provides vital training, search and rescue, and homeland security resources throughout the Eastern Washington area," said Senator Murray. "But currently the Guard is without a proper facility to support these helicopters’ important mission. This funding will provide a facility that is able to support and maintain these helicopters until they can be permanently housed at Geiger Field."
“This project provides an interim solution to basing National Guard helicopters in eastern Washington/Spokane until our new flight facility at Spokane International is built," said Brigadier General Gordon Toney, Assistant Adjutant General Army. "It also invest in the future ability for the Washington Army National Guard to field the new Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) providing hangar facilities for this aircraft to operation from Fairchild Air Force Base."
Military Installation Funding Across Washington State
Fort Lewis (Army) – $330 million
This funding will be used to expand base facilities and provide child care services to soldiers, staff and families.
Whidbey Island (Navy) – $34 million – This funding will be used to repair the electrical, mechanical, communications and structural elements of Hangar 5 at Naval Air Station Whidbey. This funding will also provide aircraft maintenance space of the quality and quantity required to support the mission of the Electronic Attack Wing. These upgrades will help NAS Whidbey house the new EA-18G Growler.
Bangor (Navy) – $50.7 million – This funding will go toward the receipt/shipment, inspection, assembly, checkout and maintenance and storage of military hardware on the base.
McChord (Air Force) – $5.5 million – This funding will go toward purchasing another C-17 flight simulator for the base. The simulator will allow pilots to learn to operate the c-17 in a cost effective manner.
Seattle (Army Reserve) – $37.5 million – This funding will go to the Seattle Army Reserve Center to expand administrative facilities.
