New Numbers Show Big Gains From BRAC

Fort Benning says BRAC, or Base Realignment and Closure will rake in roughly 4,000 jobs over the next three years.

They will come as the Armor School moves from Fort Knox to Fort Benning.

705 will be available in late 2010, early 2011. Those positions will be in supply, safety, administration and manpower.

Fort Benning Garrison, the entity that runs the post, will need to hire 500 to manage the increase in services. And roughly 300 will be needed in the medical and dental commands. Plus mangers have to factor in the thousands of contractors used, they handle everything from food services to tank maintenance.

At Tuesday’s BRAC update meeting, BRAC program manger Jay Brown stressed that while this is an unprecedented Army move, don’t expect to see these new neighbors tomorrow, “The hiring actions come just before the mission comes to get those people on board, training and ready so you will only see a handful in 2009, in 2010 a trickle and you’ll see a big waterfall in 2011.”

They also talked about improving the morale and welfare at Fort Benning. They are planning on building a hotel to offer updated housing for visitors on post. They are renovating the bowling alley, and they are going build a Chuckee Cheese type facility for families.

You can read more about the projects at http://www.benning.army.mil/mcoe

The BRAC community meetings are the first Tuesday of every month at the National Infantry Museum.