The Independent View: USAF Projects May Lose Funding for Border Wall Construction

A little history. A friend of my mother notified us that I was on the next Draft Notice. I went to the Air Force New York, Manhattan Time Square Recruitment Office and joined. I served from 1965 to 1971. I still have the notice and the 15 cents Token to get to Whitehall Street Induction Center. I have been in the VA system since 1972.

Money for more than 50 Air Force-related Military Construction Projects may be Reallocated so the Government can Build or Replace a Wall along the Southern U.S. Border, according the Defense Department.

The Air Force’s share of $3.6 Billion in (MILCON)nect spans efforts such as Range Improvements, Maintenance Hangars, and Operations Facilities, among many others. Some Projects were Scheduled to Improve Air Force Installations, while others affect the Service’s Operations but are Not on its Property.

The Pentagon announced Sept. 4th it would divert Money for 127 Existing MILCON Initiatives to instead Fund 11 Barrier Projects along 175 Miles of the Southern Border. Congress may decide to Backfill the MILCON efforts in a Future Budget.

The Pentagon will send Border Wall Funding to the Army in Two Installations, with the First Half coming from Deferred Overseas Projects. This includes several Initiatives at USAF Bases and elsewhere, like an Elementary School and F-22 Facilities at Spangdahlem AB, Germany; a Large Project for Deployable Air Base systems and War Reserve Materiel at Ramstein AB, Germany; C-130J Hangars and Facilities at Yokota AB, Japan; and RC-135 Infrastructure at RAF Fairford, England. Additionally, European Deterrence Initiative-Funded Improvements at Bases in Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and others will be delayed.

The Second Segment of Funding, if needed, will come from Deferring Domestic Projects in the U.S. and its Territories. Potentially impacted Work at several USAF Locations includes: a Maintenance Hangar in Puerto Rico; Range Improvements at Eielson AFB, Alaska; a Space Control Facility at Peterson AFB, Colo.; an MQ-9 Operations Facility at Holloman AFB, N.M.; a Hazardous Cargo Pad and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Range at JB Andrews, Md.; a Dining Facility at JB San Antonio, Texas; a Control Center at the Utah Test and Training Range; Cyber Operations Facility at JB Langley-Eustis, Va.; among others.

Some Lawmakers have pushed back on the Plan, which comes as the Military works through a slew of Facilities Problems that affect People and Programs Nationwide.

Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA, 3rd District), House Armed Services Committee Readiness Subcommittee Chairman, said in a Release. “This comes at a time when more than $11 billion is needed to repair bases that have been ravaged by recent natural disasters. … We will do everything in our power to push back against this irresponsible and irrational decision.”

CLICK HERE for the Full List of All Impacted Projects.

UPDATE

President Trump’s Border Wall Money Grab from Military Construction Projects is Endangering Schools on Military Bases, a Power Substation in Puerto Rico, and National Security.

The Air Force Report on the Risks coming from Delaying 51 Projects around the World, and the Details are Scary.

Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska could be rendered Completely Unusable by a Boiler Failure that would Force an Evacuation and leave the Base Frozen and Damaged.

Guam was supposed to get a Facility to Store more than $1 Billion in Munitions. Now those Munitions Won’t get their Storage Facility.

If Not Funded, the Main Gate at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey remains Vulnerable to Hostile Penetration in the Midst of Contingency Operations and an Increased Terrorist Threat.

One of the Major Areas affected were Military Construction Projects supporting the European Defense Initiative (EDI), a Program intended to Increase U.S. Military Presence in Europe to Deter Russian Aggression. In some cases, without the Construction Projects, the Bases identified as Part of EDI cannot support the Deployment of U.S. Airmen or Assets.

So if you want to know where Trump’s Priorities are, the answer is extremely simple: Border Wall. Border Wall over Educating Military Kids, Border Wall over Power in Puerto Rico, Border Wall over Safely Storing Munitions, Border Wall over Keeping an Air Force Base in Alaska from Freezing, and Border Wall over Deterring Russian Aggression.