Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Representative Neil Abercrombie today said the state economy will be receiving a strong boost from $21.2 million to design military construction that will help to improve the readiness of personnel at Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe.

“The Department of the Navy will begin the budgeting process for the construction which will initially trigger spending on design funds to obtain architectural and engineering services for a variety of projects at Kaneohe Bay,” said Abercrombie, who is chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces and a senior member of the Seapower Subcommittee which oversees the Navy and Marines.

“Funding for actual construction is expected in the future to build the necessary facilities related to the U.S. Department of Defense’s plan to increase active-duty strength in the Army and the Marine Corps by 92,000 people over five years. This is part of the military’s ‘grow the force’ initiative which focuses, in part, on construction of barracks or operational facilities.

“All of this construction strengthens Hawaii’s strategic role in the Pacific, as well as our local economy. Already, public-private partnerships now in place will be responsible for billions of dollars worth of construction that will build, renovate, and maintain thousands of military homes around Oahu over the next 50 years,” said Abercrombie, who sponsored the legislation that led to the current housing construction. “The military housing also alleviates competition between military and civilian families for rental homes throughout the community, making affordable housing more accessible to local families.”

The following is the list of projects that will receive the funds for design at Marine Corps Base Hawaii:

• Artillery Battery Complex, $1.8 million. Comprised of a heavy gun shop, automotive shop, armory storage, company command post, and general storage.
  
• 3rd Radio Battalion Complex, $1.5 million. Two-story command headquarters and single-story communications and electrical maintenance shop for 3rd Radio Battalion.
  
• Bachelor Enlisted Quarters, $4.8 million. Project will provide 200 Marine Corps bachelor enlisted quarters modules to house 400 Marines.
  
• Bachelor Enlisted Quarters, $4.8 million. This project will provide 228 bachelor enlisted quarters modules for 456 Marines to support the 3rd Marine Division relocation from Okinawa.
  
• 3rd Marine Division Facilities, $6.8 million. Supports the 3rd Marine Division relocation from Okinawa and will provide company and division headquarters, an armory, operational training facilities, motor transport maintenance, electronics/communications maintenance, and supply.
  
• 12th Marine Regiment Headquarters Facilities, $1.5 million. Supports the 12th Marine Regiment relocation from Okinawa and will provide company and division headquarters, an armory, operational training facilities, motor transport maintenance, electronics/communications maintenance, and supply.

“In the very near future, Marine Corps Base Hawaii and neighboring communities will also benefit from the military housing construction projects that have been underway in other areas of the island—at Schofield Barracks, Catlin Park, Hickam Air Force Base, and Manana Navy housing in Pearl City,” said Abercrombie.

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