CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia National Guard will reap big benefits from the recently approved federal budget. U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito were able to secure $34 Million in military construction funding and $7 million in defense funding secured through the appropriations packages passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 9 and 23, 2024.
“We have a wide range of projects that are going to go across the state of West Virginia,” said Lt. Colonel Holli Nelson with the West Virginia National Guard.
Among the allocations was $8.3 Million for a combat readiness fitness facility to be built at Camp Dawson in Preston County. Nelson said the center will be a huge asset for training purposes for many across the entire military.
“One hundred thousand soldiers, airmen, contractors, and others come through Camp Dawson annually. This building is going to house the equipment and provide an overhead space for those who need to conduct their Army combat fitness test or train for it,” she explained.
The construction budget also included $13 Million for the 167th Airlift Wing Headquarters in Martinsburg. The projects there will be to beef up the main gate and its numerous anti-terrorism and force protection deficiencies. Part of the funds will also pay for a new indoor, small arms firing range on base to help airmen qualify and practice without having to go off base.
The 130th Airlift Wing in Charleston will get $3 Million for renovations to help the unit accommodate the new C-130J-30 aircraft.
Many of the state’s armories are showing their age. Most were built in the 1950’s. Since then, the needs and uses for those facilities have changed drastically. Nelson said the budget included funding for design of three brand new armories.
“One in Bluefield, one in Parkersburg, and one here at the Joint Force Headquarters in Charleston. It’s a great first step for us think about longevity of the West Virginia National Guard,” she said.
Funding to build the actual facilities will be requested in future budgets.
The funded project(s) in the Financial Services and General Government bill through Sen. Capito’s office included
$595,000 for the renovation and development of a small business center in Charleston that will support culinary education, workforce development, and entrepreneurial endeavors for West Virginia veterans and West Virginians with barriers to employment.
“We’re working with our Patriot Gardens and the Jobs and Hope Program where we’ll have a small kitchen there where people can come in and do their culinary training. We’ll also provide workforce development through programs we have with out Military Authority,” said Nelson.
The Patriot Gardens program is an effort to help veterans find work in the agriculture industry as a post service opportunity. The facility will be developed near the Capitol Market in downtown Charleston.