More than $165 million in construction projects in the Fiscal Year 2005 Military Construction Appropriations bill have been earmarked for Washington state military bases, according to an announcement yesterday by Senator Patty Murray. The Senate passed the bill by a unanimous 91-0 vote.

“These projects will provide modern and updated facilities for our men and women in uniform and their families,” Murray said in a statement. “Washington state military bases are indispensable to our national defense, and it is critically important that our soldiers, sailors, and airmen have contemporary, safe, efficient facilities to work and train.”

The bill includes funding for the following projects:

Fort Lewis Military Reservation
($48 million) Barracks Complex – This complex of buildings will provide living quarters for 200 soldiers in the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, with classrooms, headquarters facilities, and storage for field gear, supplies and weapons;
($9.2 million) Chapel/Education and Family Resource Center – This Chapel complex will provide a 600 seat sanctuary, and a 579 seat Education/Family Resource Center for soldiers and their families. Its central location makes it ideal for family support, command information and additional community support activities for all of North Fort Lewis. By 2008, approximately 10,000 soldiers and 1,800 family members will live and work on North Fort Lewis.

Camp Murray
($1.4 million) Homeland Security and Defense Instructor Support Complex – These funds will provide the design and construction of a 6,200 square foot auditorium and instructor building. It will be located on Camp Murray adjacent to the State of Washington Emergency Management Center and the current Joint State Headquarters Readiness Center and will be an essential part of the Homeland Defense/ Homeland Security training.

Fairchild Air Force Base
($17.1 million) Family Housing Privatization – This project will privatize military family housing on Fairchild Air Force Base. A private developer will build or renovate a minimum of 596 homes for military families and provide community improvements such as playgrounds, utilities, and roads.

Bremerton Naval Complex
($34.1 million) Bachelor Enlisted Quarters – This project constructs on base living quarters for 792 sailors homeported at Bremerton. This effort is part of the Navy “Homeport Ashore” program to provide quality accommodations for single sailors while they are in port versus cramped shipboard accommodations.

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
($20.3 million) Aircraft Carrier Maintenance Complex – This vital waterfront facility will support aircraft carrier overhauls at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Intermediate Maintenance Facility. It will optimize the integration of production workers, project managers, and logistics support for aircraft carriers being overhauled in dry dock and at the pier.

Bangor Submarine Base
($35.8 million) Process and Storage Complex – This project will fund a complex of new buildings and security upgrades to protect vital assets on base.