Buckley Air Force base’s 140th Fighter Wing of the Colorado Air
National Guard could receive $4.5 million in new money to expand a
weapons release complex.
Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, both Colorado Democrats,
requested the funding in the military construction and veterans
affairs appropriations bill for 2010.
The bill was approved by the full appropriations committee July
6, and is headed for the Senate floor later this summer.
An additional $123 million could be approved for the Veterans
Administration hospital at the former Fitzsimons Army hospital.
Getting through the committee is a major spending and
appropriations hurdle.
The weapons release complex, basically an ammunition depot, is
undersized, according to Buckley officials.
Udall agree.
“As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I fought
for this funding because our service members training at Buckley
need a weapons facility that will enable them to prepare to do
their jobs in conflict,” Udall said.
Bennet wants to be sure service members have the tools to do
their jobs.
“Colorado’s troops sacrifice day in and day out for our country
and they deserve the very best training facilities we can provide,”
Bennet said. “This funding will make sure that our National Guard
troops have properly-sized facilities to serve their training
needs.”
