Riley halfway complete with construction boom

[unhappycamper]

Riley halfway complete with construction boom
By John Milburn - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Dec 9, 2008 17:10:34 EST

FORT RILEY, Kan. — Army officials said Tuesday they are about halfway through a $1.7 billion construction boom that was started to handle the return of the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley.

About $500 million worth of those projects were related to the 2005 base realignment and closure decisions to bring additional soldiers to Fort Riley, including the return of the 1st Infantry Division from Germany.

That move began in 2006 and will push the soldier population to about 19,000 by 2013. In addition to the growth on Fort Riley, which was established in 1853, surrounding communities have invested hundreds of millions more on housing, schools and other infrastructure to handle the military’s influx.

Despite a howling snow storm blowing across the Kansas post Tuesday, construction crews were working on a number of facilities, including new hangars, operations centers and headquarters for the division’s combat aviation brigade.

Col. John Dvoracek, deputy garrison commander for transformation, said all of the funding from federal sources remained on track. Additional spending will be coming in future years for improvements on Custer Hill, the main area where units are located.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/12/ap_riley_construction_120908/%2e