thedrifter
12-27-07, 01:14 PM
THURSDAY DECEMBER 27, 2007 Last modified: Wednesday, December 26, 2007 2:36 PM PST
1,708 more Marines to move to 29 Palms base
By Kelly O’Sullivan / Hi-Desert Star
MCAGCC — When Congress last year approved the Marine Corps’ request to boost troop levels from 174,000 to 202,000 by 2011, it set in motion a series of changes for the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center.
On Dec. 13, MCAGCC commanding general Brig. Gen. Melvin G. Spiese outlined for the Yucca Valley Town Council what’s in store for the base. He’s scheduled to make the same presentation to the Twentynine Palms City Council on Jan. 22.
According to Spiese’s presentation, the Combat Center expects to add 1,708 Marines to by 2012.
Capt. Neal V. Fisher II, base public affairs officer, said Friday that while the base’s population fluctuates daily, about 12,000 Marines and sailors are attached to the Combat Center.
The first of the 1,708 troops coming to the base, 114 members of the newly reactivated 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, arrived earlier this year, Fisher said.
In 2008, 114 more CEB troops will arrive, along with 190 members of Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron.
Also scheduled to come to the base are 287 troops in fiscal year 2009, 118 in fiscal 2010, 785 in fiscal 2011 and 100 in fiscal 2012.
More Marines and sailors also means more civilian employees and more infrastructure.
Civilian jobs
created, too
The general’s report noted that the base has been authorized to hire 50 civilians over the next three years to work in the operations section.
“The exact jobs, I don’t know,” Fisher said, noting that operations includes Mojave Viper, which trains Marines deploying to Iraq for operations in urban areas.
The base expects to add 11 of those personnel in fiscal year 2008, 21 in fiscal 2009 and 18 in fiscal 2010, according to Spiese’s report.
Also added will be 63 positions — 27 in 2008, 18 in 2009, 12 and 2010 and six in 2011 — in areas like base maintenance and food services.
Finally, the base was authorized to hire 64 people to serve as security officers and 24 contractors to assist as administrators in the base Provost Marshal’s office, freeing up more Marines to go back into fleet units (those that deploy).
“They’ve already started interviewing” for administrative positions, Fisher said.
The plan calls for 20 hirings in fiscal 2008, 15 each in 2009 and 2010 and 14 in 2011.
Construction
projects planned
A total of $270.3 million in construction projects have been approved for fiscal years 2008 and 2009, including:
Two bachelor enlisted quarters, at a cost of $43.6 million and $36.3 million;
Two bachelor enlisted quarters with parking structures, at a cost of $43.1 million and $34.3 million;
Two operations centers serving multiple battalions, $33.8 and $33.7 million;
An additional urban training facility, $21.4 million;
Expansion of the landfill, $13.6 million;
Expansion of the base armory, $6 million;
An addition to 7th Marine Regiment’s headquarters, $4.5 million.
Ellie
1,708 more Marines to move to 29 Palms base
By Kelly O’Sullivan / Hi-Desert Star
MCAGCC — When Congress last year approved the Marine Corps’ request to boost troop levels from 174,000 to 202,000 by 2011, it set in motion a series of changes for the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center.
On Dec. 13, MCAGCC commanding general Brig. Gen. Melvin G. Spiese outlined for the Yucca Valley Town Council what’s in store for the base. He’s scheduled to make the same presentation to the Twentynine Palms City Council on Jan. 22.
According to Spiese’s presentation, the Combat Center expects to add 1,708 Marines to by 2012.
Capt. Neal V. Fisher II, base public affairs officer, said Friday that while the base’s population fluctuates daily, about 12,000 Marines and sailors are attached to the Combat Center.
The first of the 1,708 troops coming to the base, 114 members of the newly reactivated 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, arrived earlier this year, Fisher said.
In 2008, 114 more CEB troops will arrive, along with 190 members of Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron.
Also scheduled to come to the base are 287 troops in fiscal year 2009, 118 in fiscal 2010, 785 in fiscal 2011 and 100 in fiscal 2012.
More Marines and sailors also means more civilian employees and more infrastructure.
Civilian jobs
created, too
The general’s report noted that the base has been authorized to hire 50 civilians over the next three years to work in the operations section.
“The exact jobs, I don’t know,” Fisher said, noting that operations includes Mojave Viper, which trains Marines deploying to Iraq for operations in urban areas.
The base expects to add 11 of those personnel in fiscal year 2008, 21 in fiscal 2009 and 18 in fiscal 2010, according to Spiese’s report.
Also added will be 63 positions — 27 in 2008, 18 in 2009, 12 and 2010 and six in 2011 — in areas like base maintenance and food services.
Finally, the base was authorized to hire 64 people to serve as security officers and 24 contractors to assist as administrators in the base Provost Marshal’s office, freeing up more Marines to go back into fleet units (those that deploy).
“They’ve already started interviewing” for administrative positions, Fisher said.
The plan calls for 20 hirings in fiscal 2008, 15 each in 2009 and 2010 and 14 in 2011.
Construction
projects planned
A total of $270.3 million in construction projects have been approved for fiscal years 2008 and 2009, including:
Two bachelor enlisted quarters, at a cost of $43.6 million and $36.3 million;
Two bachelor enlisted quarters with parking structures, at a cost of $43.1 million and $34.3 million;
Two operations centers serving multiple battalions, $33.8 and $33.7 million;
An additional urban training facility, $21.4 million;
Expansion of the landfill, $13.6 million;
Expansion of the base armory, $6 million;
An addition to 7th Marine Regiment’s headquarters, $4.5 million.
Ellie