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The Daily Tar Heel

State's Military Bases Receive Federal Funds

The money is part of a $10.5 billion appropriations bill that passed the U.S. Senate 97-0 on Wednesday.

Officials stress that the funding allotments are need-based, not prompted by the Sept. 11 terrorists attacks.

The measure will increase military spending by $1.5 billion, which is 17 percent higher than present spending on military construction projects.

Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., was satisfied with the bill's provisions.

"We feel the funds allotted are sufficient for new projects and renovation programs at North Carolina military bases," a spokesperson for Edwards said.

Fort Bragg, the largest military base in North Carolina, will be receiving $148.4 million of the allotted funds. "It is one of our larger program years for military construction," said Glen Prillaman, spokesman for public affairs at Fort Bragg.

He said that $93.5 million will go toward a new barracks construction project. "The barracks will house soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division," Prillaman said. "They will be nicer than any of the dorms at UNC-Chapel Hill."

About $13.6 million will be used to build a new vehicle maintenance shop. "We need to make sure our military vehicles are in top shape so they can be ready for immediate deployment at any time," Prillaman said.

The Golden Knight parachute team will receive $7.7 million. "We want to construct a facility that will house staff offices, display rooms for trophies and parachute rigging areas for the team," Prillaman said.

He added that the remaining $30 million will be used to enhance some of the facilities needed for special operation soldiers. "We want to construct a foreign language building for our special forces soldiers to enhance their language skills. We need to make sure they are able to communicate properly on foreign soil."

Members of Edwards' staff added that the bill was not a response to the recent terrorists attacks. "It is a standard appropriations bill that comes up every year," his spokeswoman said. "It grants money based on the degree of construction needs for each military base within a state."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.

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