Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced that the Senate Armed Services Committee has authorized $23 million for a new Army Reserve Training Center in Mattydale as part of the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act. In addition, a $23 million appropriation for the construction has passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The funding package now heads to the full Senate for a vote. The project would provide a new 400-member training facility for fifteen Army Reserve Units, as well as a new maintenance shop.
“This federal investment for Mattydale’s new training facility will add to the base’s training capabilities and improve the quality of life for the reservists who work and train there,” said Schumer. “Our men and women in uniform, active duty and reservists, deserve top-notch facilities; a new training facility for Mattydale is just the kind of investment the federal government should be making.”
“This is a great investment for the region,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This federal funding would allow the Army Reserve to better train soldiers for combat with top-of-the-line equipment and resources while still remaining close to home. This training center would ensure our men and women in uniform have the very best facilities and opportunities. Our soldiers and their families have sacrificed for all of us and we owe them for their incredible service.”
The training facility will include administrative, education, assembly, library, and physical fitness areas for fifteen Army Reserve units, including the 403rd Civil Affairs Battalion, a Training Brigade, and several Detachments of Training Battalions. Funding will also be used to construct a maintenance shop with work bays and maintenance administrative support. Currently, these units are training in a building that is over 50 years old and is smaller than the size necessary for these units to effectively train for their missions. The maintenance shop is also too small to maintain the wheeled vehicle fleet necessary for the forward deployment of several of these units.
Federal defense spending must be authorized before it can be appropriated. Now that the Senate Armed Services Committee has authorized the funding, the legislation can now move to the full Senate for final passage.