National Guard Will Be Based at Airport (Post-Tribune)
Gary/Chicago International Airport is poised to snag more attention after state politicians snared $15.6 million to house a National Guard base there. Forty full-time National Guardsmen will be based at the airport to beef up the area's homeland security. Congress approved the deal Tuesday night which is meant to bring 40 full-time and 200 part-time National Guard jobs.
"I'm a very, very happy person. This is a major coup for Northwest Indiana," said U.S. Rep. Peter J. Visclosky, D-Merrillville. "Not only will this funding help bolster homeland security in our region, but it will also provide jobs and economic opportunities for Northwest Indiana residents."
The first phase will house the guard's medical company, a 22-member weapons-of-mass- destruction civil support team, an air evacuation type unit and five Blackhawk helicopters. The measure was pushed by Visclosky, Gov. Joseph Kernan, and Indiana's two U.S. senators, Evan Bayh, D-Indianapolis, and Richard Lugar, R-Indianapolis.
The earliest construction could begin is fall of 2004, because the designs still need to be crafted, said Major Rex Sohn, public affairs officer for the Indiana National Guard. In the first phase, workers will build the 48,407-square-foot limited Army Aviation Support Facility. It will house the helicopters and be the place for maintenance, classroom, storage, shower-locker and administrative areas.
The $25 million includes a medical unit and a meteorological crew at the airport. In the second phase, a 53,277-square-foot Joint Armed Forces Reserve Center will be built. Legislators hope to secure $9 to $10 million for this part of the plan for the fiscal year 2005 or 2006.
"The location of these units in Gary will provide a powerful deterrent to terrorism throughout the entire Chicago/Northwest Indiana metropolitan area," Gov. Kernan said in a statement.
Bayh said the base will help make the area more resistant to an attack of any kind.
"This is the kind of thing you don't like to talk about, but as we learned on Sept. 11, you have to be prepared for the unthinkable," Bayh said. "It's the kind of thing we hope that never happens."
While snaring the National Guard unit bolsters security locally, it will also bring attention to the airport.
"It's great news," said airport administrator Paul Karas. "What it means for the airport and region is twofold. One is jobs and secondly is increased activity at the airport."
Otho Lyles III, an airport board member, said this is the type of development that shows airlines the airport is moving forward. "It means more development, and this is what we've been hoping for. We're still working on passenger service and cargo service. This is another step forward as activity that's taking place."
Lyles said that while he doesn't believe airlines would make a decision to land in Gary solely based on the National Guard base, he said it shows airport activity. He is confident the airport will land a scheduled passenger airline by the first quarter of next year. The airport has been working with Pace Airlines, Southeast Airlines and others.
Bayh also said it gives the airport instant credibility. "There are several steps we need to make it a transportation center," he said. "This is just one more. The more people hear about Gary as a legitimate functioning airport, the better off we are. Right now, it's not on a lot of people's radar screens."
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