By Luke Waack
Assistant editor

Congress announced an additional $111 million for new barracks construction on Fort Leonard Wood, Jan. 19.

The money will mean that new starship barracks buildings could be completed as much as two years sooner than expected. The first step for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is assigning a project manager to develop a Request for Proposal, while assisting the contract officer throughout the construction bidding process.

“The goal is get these (building contracts) awarded by Sept. 30, this year,” said William McDaniel Jr., program/project manager-forward for the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Ground breaking could take place as soon as the spring of 2011, with completion sometime in the spring or summer 2013, McDaniel said.

Two-hundred forty Soldiers fit into each new Barracks Company Operation Facility building that is built, McDaniel said. The exact number of buildings that will be built will depend on the proposals, which are impacted by market forces.

“They are a standard design,” McDaniel said. “The insert ($111 million) will cover the Phase II of the BCT (Basic Combat Training) 6 Complex on Indiana Avenue. Phase I of the BCT 6 Complex was just recently awarded, which will include three Barracks and Company Operation Facilities and a lawn maintenance building. Now with Phase II funded, we will be able to complete that complex, which will be built right next to the confidence course.”

Other portions of the funding will go toward construction near the existing military police star barracks.

“The other part of that inserted money is going to also provide Phase I of a new star base complex down to the northeast side of the existing star base on Iowa Avenue, and it will include one battalion headquarters, two BCOFs, one PT track and one lawn maintenance building.”

McDaniel has plenty of experience with older generation barracks buildings. While on active duty, he was a senior drill sergeant in Company C, 3rd Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment. He said that the new buildings will provide improvements one would expect from new construction, over facilities that were built decades ago.

“As the new barracks come on, it will make a big difference not only in appearance, but in the building layouts, for they are more efficient for billeting, as well as company operations that are co-located on each BCOF. Other improvements included increased efficiencies in all systems, including ventilation, heating and air conditioning and plumbing,” McDaniel said.

Installation officials have not made public exactly which units will be housed in the buildings, upon their completion.