thedrifter
08-24-04, 06:17 AM
Senator tours base construction sites to observe progress
Submitted by: MCB Quantico
Story Identification #: 2004817121544
Story by Lance Cpl. Susan Moyer
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. (Aug. 12, 2004) -- The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee toured several construction sites here and saw various equipment at the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab on Tuesday.
U.S. Senator John Warner, (R-Va.) arrived at the National Museum of the Marine Corps construction site where a Humvee drove him up mounds of dirt and gravel to a hill overlooking the campus.
"The base has come a long way since I was here almost half a century ago," said Warner.
Warner, a former Marine, considers Quantico his "Marine Corps home" and has approved government funding for the construction of the new museum here.
Brig. Gen. Jerry McKay, the chief operations officer for the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, explained the construction plans to the Senator. He pointed out the tilted steel mast representing the historic flag raising of the flag at Iwo Jima, which will stand 210 feet above a massive canopy of steel and glass. Most of the mast will be visible to passing traffic on Interstate 95.
"That's wonderful," said Warner. "The Marine Corps has quite a story to tell, and this will be a great way to tie it all up together for the world to see."
The senator's next stop was the Public-Private Venture family housing project.
Lt. Gen. Edward Hanlon Jr., the commanding general for Marine Corps Combat Development Command, escorted Warner around one of the new three-bedroom houses.
"You all took some pride and did it right," said the senator after examining the kitchen area.
"When this started, we put Marine wives on the committee," said Hanlon. "Who knows how to design a house better than a mom?"
The PPV project will provide Quantico with 993 new houses and 144 renovated houses.
After completing the PPV tour, Warner was greeted by Col. Steven H. Mattos, the director of the technology division at the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab. Staff members briefed the senator on several of the command's latest advanced war-fighting equipment.
"It tears me up," said Warner. "I went through communication operations training, and we didn't have any of this. We just ran wire."
The senator took the chance to communicate with the troops in Iraq using a piece of the MCWL equipment.
"Contingency, Warfighting Lab here," he said into a small mouthpiece.
"I heard them, they are right on track," Senator Warner said after hearing a response.
Before leaving the static display, the senator thanked the MCWL staff.
"That was a very impressive briefing, and you ought to feel a great sense of pride for what you've done," he said.
Next, the senator took a windshield tour of the Marine Corps Air Facility, which included the flightline, facilities in need of renovation, and sites for new construction.
The senator's visit ended at the proposed site for the new Marine Corps Network Operations and Security Command Center.
"It's great to come down here and see how the facilities have been built and if they're fulfilling the role they intended," said Warner, who originates and approves a lot of the fund requests in the Senate for the base.
"I'm very impressed with the way the mission here is being fulfilled," he said.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/478A71D70308792C85256EF3005954DF?opendocument
Ellie
Submitted by: MCB Quantico
Story Identification #: 2004817121544
Story by Lance Cpl. Susan Moyer
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. (Aug. 12, 2004) -- The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee toured several construction sites here and saw various equipment at the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab on Tuesday.
U.S. Senator John Warner, (R-Va.) arrived at the National Museum of the Marine Corps construction site where a Humvee drove him up mounds of dirt and gravel to a hill overlooking the campus.
"The base has come a long way since I was here almost half a century ago," said Warner.
Warner, a former Marine, considers Quantico his "Marine Corps home" and has approved government funding for the construction of the new museum here.
Brig. Gen. Jerry McKay, the chief operations officer for the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, explained the construction plans to the Senator. He pointed out the tilted steel mast representing the historic flag raising of the flag at Iwo Jima, which will stand 210 feet above a massive canopy of steel and glass. Most of the mast will be visible to passing traffic on Interstate 95.
"That's wonderful," said Warner. "The Marine Corps has quite a story to tell, and this will be a great way to tie it all up together for the world to see."
The senator's next stop was the Public-Private Venture family housing project.
Lt. Gen. Edward Hanlon Jr., the commanding general for Marine Corps Combat Development Command, escorted Warner around one of the new three-bedroom houses.
"You all took some pride and did it right," said the senator after examining the kitchen area.
"When this started, we put Marine wives on the committee," said Hanlon. "Who knows how to design a house better than a mom?"
The PPV project will provide Quantico with 993 new houses and 144 renovated houses.
After completing the PPV tour, Warner was greeted by Col. Steven H. Mattos, the director of the technology division at the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab. Staff members briefed the senator on several of the command's latest advanced war-fighting equipment.
"It tears me up," said Warner. "I went through communication operations training, and we didn't have any of this. We just ran wire."
The senator took the chance to communicate with the troops in Iraq using a piece of the MCWL equipment.
"Contingency, Warfighting Lab here," he said into a small mouthpiece.
"I heard them, they are right on track," Senator Warner said after hearing a response.
Before leaving the static display, the senator thanked the MCWL staff.
"That was a very impressive briefing, and you ought to feel a great sense of pride for what you've done," he said.
Next, the senator took a windshield tour of the Marine Corps Air Facility, which included the flightline, facilities in need of renovation, and sites for new construction.
The senator's visit ended at the proposed site for the new Marine Corps Network Operations and Security Command Center.
"It's great to come down here and see how the facilities have been built and if they're fulfilling the role they intended," said Warner, who originates and approves a lot of the fund requests in the Senate for the base.
"I'm very impressed with the way the mission here is being fulfilled," he said.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/478A71D70308792C85256EF3005954DF?opendocument
Ellie