[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=56208.84

Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch

Called 'excess property' last year, facility nixed from list after review of military's needs.

MICHIGAN CITY - The city is on track to receive Michigan Boulevard from the state, but will not take over the Naval Armory.

The Naval Armory is home to the 938th Military Police Detachment National Guard unit. The Defense Department announced last year it was getting rid of excess property in Indiana, including the Michigan City armory.

But that offer was withdrawn in the spring after re-examining its "strength needs," according to retired Col. Dave Shorter of the Indiana National Guard.

Six armories in Indiana were mothballed, while 63 remain open, including the Michigan City unit. Shorter said the state has led the nation in recruiting for two of the last three years, and ranks fourth in the size of its National Guard, with about 12,500 soldiers. Indiana also has the most soldiers of any state serving in Iraq, he said.

"It speaks well for recruitment," Shorter said. "That's the reason we're keeping Michigan City open. We almost closed too quickly up there."



Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.

[JHeath]

Did they realize they were acting in haste after they learned what the value of the property might be?

[Roger Kaputnik]

This is a real lucky break for us because the Oh, No!-berlie crowd can't get their mitts on that property.

[Dave]

This is a real lucky break for us because the Oh, No!-berlie crowd can't get their mitts on that property.

Yeah, hard to tell what they would do with it -- tear it down to build a sewer under it, or sell it to their cousin's brother-in-law to tear it down and build condos there.

[Southsider2k12]

Yeah, hard to tell what they would do with it -- tear it down to build a sewer under it, or sell it to their cousin's brother-in-law to tear it down and build condos there.

Not a doubt in my mind...

[Roger Kaputnik]

None in mine, either.

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsi...ID=34701#middle

March 25, 2009

Washington – Senator Evan Bayh is urging the chief of the National Guard Bureau to use funds from the economic recovery package to help repair two Indiana National Guard training facilities: Muscatatuck Urban Training Center outside Butlerville and the Joint Maneuver Training Center at Camp Atterberry in Columbus.

In a March 19 letter to National Guard Chief General Craig McKinley, Bayh asks the general to allocate a portion of the more than $290 million in operation and maintenance funding the National Guard Bureau will receive as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to repair vital training facilities for the Indiana Army National Guard.

"Nothing is more integral to the success of our troops than proper training. Providing our servicemen and women realistic training scenarios here at home helps ensure they are duly prepared for the challenges they will face in a deployed environment," Bayh wrote.

Bayh emphasized that the facilities are "in dire need of maintenance" and urged McKinley to "consider the needs of the Indiana Army National Guard." Muscatatuck Urban Training Center (MUTC), a full-immersion contemporary urban training environment, requires approximately $15.2 million for building repair and maintenance. The Joint Maneuver Training Center at Camp Atterbury needs approximately $5.4 million for building and road repair.

Also signing the letter to McKinley are Indiana Congressmen Pete Visclosky, Baron Hill, Joe Donnelly, Brad Ellsworth and André Carson.

Indiana has also received $15.9 million in economic recovery funds through the Department of Defense (DoD) for operations and maintenance projects, including:

· $4.9 million for repair and modernization of two buildings at the Crane Army Ammunition Activity in southern Indiana to create a safer, more efficient environment for Army civilian employees.

· $4.8 million to refurbish Stout Field in Indianapolis, home of the Indiana National Guard Headquarters. The building being repaired being is currently unoccupied but will house headquarters staff after renovations are complete.

· More than $2.4 million will be shared throughout Indiana to repair or replace roofs of Indiana Army National Guard (INARNG) readiness centers in Indianapolis, Michigan City, Hartford City, Lebanon, Muncie, Terre Haute, Jasper, Frankfort and Seymour.

· $1.7 million to renovate the Family Readiness Center at Grissom Joint Air Reserve Base outside Peru. The center provides programs to Indiana service members and their families to adapt to the changes and demands of military life, including employment and financial services assistance.

· $915,000 for building repairs to an INARNG readiness center in South Bend.

· $750,000 to replace the roof of the INARNG Regional Training Institute, located at Camp Atterbury in Edinburgh.

· $425,000 for window replacement at an INARNG readiness center in Lebanon.

"Indiana's soldiers make extraordinary sacrifices to serve their fellow Hoosiers and keep the United States safe," Bayh said. "These funds from the economic recovery package will help ensure that Hoosier soldiers have the training, preparation and support facilities necessary to continue their exceptional record of service."

Source: Office of Evan Bayh