Military bill includes funds for armory

Lynn Doan

Wednesday, July 21, 2004 | 9:28 a.m.

The Nevada Army National Guard would receive $12.8 million to build a new armory in Henderson for the state's new weapons of mass destruction team if Senate passes a military bill in the fall.

Sens. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and John Ensign, R-Nev., announced Tuesday that they would back the construction of a "readiness center" for the Army National Guard on a 54-acre state-owned site near Serene Avenue and Decatur Boulevard. The two senators said one of the major purposes of the center is to house the Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support Team for Nevada, provided by the Defense Department in March to combat terrorist threats to the state.

"This readiness center will be vital in preparing our military to respond to the national security threats facing our country and our state," said Reid, who is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Jack Finn, a spokesman for Ensign, said the center was on the top of the National Guard's priority list, and Ensign wanted to "deliver their most pressing needs."

Last year Senate approved $850,000 to design the center, which would also house the 1-99th Troop Command Headquarters, the 1864th Transportation Co., 777th Engineer Utility Team, 72nd Military Police Co., and the Medical Detachment Area Support Unit. The new facility would allow the National Guard to recruit 600 more soldiers by providing additional housing.

Tessa Hafen, a spokeswoman for Reid, said she expected Senate to approve the bill in the fall, at the earliest.