Washington, DC – US Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that the Omnibus spending bill – a must-pass bill that funds the federal government through the end of the fiscal year – includes $23 million in funding to build a new Army Reserve Training Center in Mattydale, New York. 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.
“This funding for a new Army Reserve Training Center in Mattydale is great news for the brave men and women in Central New York who serve our nation in the Army Reserves,” said Senator Schumer. “I am urging my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers of Congress to vote for this bill and give our men and women in uniform, active duty and reservists, the top-notch facilities and training programs they deserve.”
“This is great news for our troops stationed in Mattydale,” said Senator Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “With this funding, the Army Reserve will have the resources and cutting-edge equipment to train our soldiers for the many challenges they might face overseas. Our men and women in uniform deserve the best facilities and opportunities, and this new federal funding will help make sure they get it.”
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.