Military construction projects abound throughout state: Stryker Brigade catalyst for military construction.

• Author: Orr, Vanessa

It's summer in Alaska, and that means the sounds of big construction. And nowhere is this more evident than on military bases throughout the state. Despite the fact that federal spending has decreased in many other areas, Alaska construction companies are seeing the benefits of bigger federal budgets on military projects, including preparing the 49th State for the Stryker Brigade.

According to James Hannon, chief, Construction-Operations Division of the Alaska District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Alaska District has one of the largest workloads in its history for fiscal years 2004 and 2005. The projected workload for FY04 is $667 million, which includes civil works, environmental and missile defense projects. The projected workload for FY05 is $682 million. Approximately $483 million of the FY04 budget is for military projects alone; $150 million of which will be used in FY04 to fund construction for projects relating to Alaska's newest military force.

THE STRYKER BRIGADE

By May of 2005, the 172nd Infantry Brigade at Fort Wainwright and Fort Richardson will make the transformation from a Light Infantry Brigade to the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. This transformation will require the construction of at least five SBCT-related facilities, including a bar racks facility; a Mission Support Training Facility; a Port of Anchorage deployment staging area at Fort Richardson; a company operations facility at Fort Wainwright; and an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle maintenance at Donnelly Training Area, formerly known as Fort Greeley.

According to Lt. Gen. Howie Chandler, Alaska Command commander, construction on Stryker Brigade facilities will bring $1.2 billion into the state. While the Brigade is expected to have initial operational capabilities by May 2005, construction will continue on various projects through 2010.

One of those projects, the $37 million Mission Support Training Facility at Fort Wainwright, will officially be finished in July 2004. A joint venture of Watterson Construction Company and Davis Constructors & Engineers, the project was awarded on Feb. 25, 2003.

"We did about $34 million of this $37 million project in nine months," said Bill Watterson, owner, Watterson Construction Co. "While there is still some exterior work to be done this summer, the government was able to take occupancy on Jan. 2."

The 115,000-square-foot Mission Support Training Facility is designed to support soldiers stationed at Fort Wainwright by providing a venue for consolidated mission planning, rehearsal and operations execution. It will act as a digital training facility, linking live, virtual and constructive training support through battlefield visualization.

"Soldiers will be...