Seymour Johnson AFB receives $57M for projects
By Kenneth Fine
Published in News on August 3, 2006 1:52 PM
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base will receive $57 million this year for various projects, as appropriations committees from both the U.S. House and Senate allocated nearly $664 million to military installations in North Carolina in their recently reported 2007 fiscal year budget.
Seymour Support Council Chairman Troy Pate said the money, which is tagged for family housing, various BRAC-related Air Force Reserve needs and other construction, is "pretty much in line" with what officials from the base were expecting.
"What is in there is pretty much what we thought we would get," he said.
Of the $57 million, close to half will go toward completion of the ongoing family housing replacement project.
"The money for housing is the biggest thing," Pate said. "It should cover the next two or three phases of the project."
Other construction costs will be covered by the remaining funds. Close to $10 million will go toward improvements on base, something Pate said not only helps Seymour, but Goldsboro and Wayne County as well.
"Everything that goes into that base, makes it that much better and we are always happy when we get military construction money," he said. "Anytime you do construction, there's a chance for the local contractors to bid on the work. And even if the contractors end up coming from out-of-town, they move here and spend their money in the community."
Other military installations in the state also received funding for construction projects. Fort Bragg, at $265 million, was given the most money.