• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

US Military

  • Branches
    • Army
    • Navy
    • Air Force
    • Marine Corps
    • Coast Guard
    • National Guard
    • Air National Guard
    • Find A Recruiter
  • Find A Recruiter
  • Military Benefits
    • GI Bill
    • VA Loans
    • Military Scholarships
    • Military Friendly Colleges
    • Money
  • Jobs
    • Military Pay Chart
    • Veteran Jobs
    • Civilian Jobs
  • VA Loan Rates
  • Military News
    • Top News
    • Benefits
    • Careers
    • Education
    • Featured Columnists
      • Larry Fowler
      • Scott Ostrow
      • Kim Lengling
      • Dr. Sasha Toperich
      • Rick Stewart
  • USM Shop
  • GI Bill
  • VA Loans
  • Military Scholarships
  • Top Military-Friendly Colleges and Universities in America

Army Corps of Engineers Improves VA and Army Medical Facilities

January 27, 2015 By admin

WASHINGTON (Jan. 27, 2015) – When it comes to waterway and storm mitigation projects, the United States turns to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or USACE, for assistance.

Perhaps less visible has been the Corps’ involvement in a number of other construction activities, including expansion and modernization of hospitals and clinics operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, and the Army.

VA PROJECTS

“The Corps has significant construction management capabilities and experience delivering medical facilities for our Service members and veterans,” Lloyd C. Caldwell, director of military programs for USACE, told lawmakers during a House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing, Jan. 21.

Before 2007, Corps’ support to VA projects was below $2 million a year, Caldwell stated in written testimony. That year, construction picked up, with $7 million spent and the following year in 2008, it doubled to $14 million.

The amount of work quickly picked up, and by 2011, the amount was $377 million. Last year’s project costs declined to $156 million, but was still substantially above what it was before 2007.

“As execution funds have increased over the years, so has the collaborative relationship between the Corps and the VA,” Caldwell said, adding that in recent years, the Corps has managed work at 74 VA facilities around the country.

Although there has been an uptake in work with the VA in recent years, Caldwell noted that it was small in comparison to major construction projects in the 1950s “when we supported the VA’s post-World War II hospital construction program.”

A recent project worthy of note, he said, is the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder/Mental Health Research Addition at the Charleston, South Carolina, VA Medical Center, completed last year. The project provided a one-story, 16,000-square-foot building at a cost of $8.2 million.

The close working relationship with the VA is much more than bringing a hammer, nails and an arc welder to a job site.

“Our project management business process brings together a range of diverse professionals and activities required of a successful project, which includes our design, construction, acquisition and project management professionals,” he said.

In some ways, the Corps tackles a VA project like a combatant commander would a battle plan.

“Success across the normal project cycle depends on early involvement of all team members to understand the overall project objectives and to plan the approach to execute the project from design through construction, Caldwell said.

All of the above depends on team members working “collaboratively,” he emphasized.

The VA has an equally important role in construction planning, he said. “It’s the VA’s responsibility to determine programming requirements and prepare budget requests to meet the medical needs of our veterans and families,” Caldwell said.

Designing VA treatment facilities is a lot more complex than for other building construction projects. “Medical equipment requirements may be extensive,” he said. Also, “training is a vital component in maintaining professional standards and keeping up to date on current practices.”

The Corps provides specialized technical training “across a broad range of subjects, providing continuous learning, essential to maintaining the highest levels of expertise in engineering and construction,” he added.

Authority for the Corps to assist the VA with construction is derived from the Economy Act (31 U.S. Code, 1535b).

ARMY PROJECTS

The Corps has delivered, or is in the process of designing and constructing a full range of medical facilities for the Army and the other services as well as the VA, Caldwell informed the lawmakers. These include “very large hospitals valued near $1 billion that are capable of delivering world-class medical services for the armed forces and their families.”

These include:

– A new hospital at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, completed in 2011 at a cost of $1.03 billion;

– A hospital addition at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, completed in 2011 at a cost of $802 million;

– A new hospital at Fort Benning, Georgia, completed in 2014 at a cost of $475 million;

– A hospital under construction at Fort Riley, Kansas, with an authorization for $404 million with a completion date slated for this year;

– A hospital under construction at Fort Bliss, Texas, with an authorization for $966 million with completion set for 2016;

– A hospital under construction at Rhine Ordnance Barracks, Germany, with an authorization of $990 million, expected to open in 2022.

Filed Under: Army, daniel articles, Top News

[related_posts_by_tax format="thumbnails" limit_posts="100" image_size="sidebar-thumbnail" public_only="true" posts_per_page="6"]

Primary Sidebar

USMilitary.com Career Guide

Sign up to receive USMilitary.com email updates and to hear what's going on with all military branches!

Featured Columnists

Larry Fowler

Larry Fowler is the publisher of USMilitary.com Network one of America's premier privately owned

Autobiography Compares Christian Living With Navy SEAL Training (BUD/S).

Scott Ostrow

Lt Col (Dr.) Scott A. Ostrow retired from the Air Force in September 2005 and has been teaching

Must Read: The Truth About The ASVAB Test Prep From The Man Who Wrote The Book

Kim Lengling

Kim Lengling is a Air Force Veteran whose passion is to help support veterans and their

The Moving Wall: Women Who Paid The Ultimate Price For Their Country

Dr. Sasha Toperich

Dr. Sasha Toperich is the Senior Executive Vice President at Transatlantic Leadership

Sarraj’s Dangerous Dance With Power

Rick Stewart

Rick Stewart is a former United States Air Force Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE)

Announcing American Patriots Unsung Magazine

Nathan B. Nelson

Capt (ret) Nathan B. Nelson is the Director of Military Affairs for the 1st Congressional district

Three Critical Considerations for Every Veteran Prior to Leaving Active Duty

Laquan Daniels

Laquan Daniel is a military recruiting expert with over 17 years of specialized experience in the

Important News For Military Transitioning Veterans

Veteran Buzz

Hire Military Veterans

Which Companies Are Most Likely to Hire Military Veterans?

July 30, 2018 By Ben Ehinger

High-Paying Jobs for Military Veterans

5 High-Paying Jobs for Military Veterans

July 2, 2018 By Ben Ehinger

High Paying Jobs Not Requiring a Degree

June 28, 2018 By Ben Ehinger

Footer

  • Advertise With Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Write For US
  • Link to Us

Recent

  • Apache Attack Helicopter Pilot: To Maintain a Watchful Eye, “Above the Best”
  • Peering Into The Future: NATO 2030 Initiative Announced
  • Autobiography Compares Christian Living With Navy SEAL Training (BUD/S).
  • What Military Branch Sees the Most Combat?
  • From Belarus “With Love”, Yet Again

Search

© Copyright 2021 USMillitary
Web Design by Goebel Media Group


THIS IS A PRIVATE WEBSITE THAT IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, U.S. ARMED FORCES, OR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE NOT REVIEWED THIS INFORMATION. THIS SITE IS NOT CONNECTED WITH ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY.

​Tips
Discounts
News

​

​

Join the USMilitary.com Newsletter Today!

By subscribing you agree to our terms & conditions

x