For Immediate Release

April 24, 2009

SUPPLEMENTAL BILL CONTAINS $100 MILLION FT. LEWIS COMPLEX

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Army’s effort to promote healing and rehabilitation of wounded soldiers and their families will get a major boost in the Pentagon’s supplemental appropriations request that was sent to Congress this week, including $110 million for a “Warrior Transition Complex” at Fort Lewis, Rep. Norm Dicks said Friday.

The complex will centralize the services that have been provided to injured soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan through a “Warrior Transition Unit” at Fort Lewis for the past two years, Rep. Dicks said.  This unit, as well as similar programs at selected posts nationwide, has been designed to improve processes and procedures for giving care to ill and injured Soldiers at Army medical treatment facilities.

The congressman said that the $110 million allocation to Fort Lewis will include the construction of a designated barracks building, an administrative and operations facility and a “soldier and family assistance center” at a location adjacent to Madigan Army Medical Center.

Rep. Dicks, who serves as vice-chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, has strongly supported the Army’s effort to streamline the process of medical care delivery for wounded soldiers after a large number of military personnel returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars encountered delays and unnecessary complications at Walter Reed Medical Center and other military health care facilities.  The Warrior Transition Units were created to assure that these injured soldiers get the medical care they need for a quick recovery and return to service, and that related personal and logistic issues affecting their families are addressed. 

Rep. Dicks said “We need to send the message to all of our military personnel that, if you are wounded, we are going to follow you through the recovery phase and into rehabilitation and we’re going to listen to your concerns and your family’s concerns during the entire time.  With this specially-designated new Warrior in Transition complex at Fort Lewis, the Army is demonstrating its firm determination to fulfilling that commitment.”

The funding for the buildings at Fort Lewis is included in the Defense Department’s supplemental appropriations request for the current fiscal year, which provides the Pentagon with the resources it needs to continue current military operations as well as address near-term needs.  When approved by Congress in late-May or June, these funds will be immediately available to the Army and contracting is expected to begin by mid-year. 

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