West Virginia National Guard receives $1.95 million for Brushfork Armory upgrades

BRUSHFORK, W.Va. (WVVA) - The West Virginia National Guard is receiving nearly $2 million dollars in funding to make improvements to the Brushfork Armory. The funding is a part of more than $34 million in military construction funding with an additional $7 million in defense funding from the federal government.

The funding comes from the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill, a federal bipartisan appropriations package. The Adjutant General for the West Virginia National Guard, Major General Bill Crane says getting improvements for the building is much needed.

“I know how important that facility is for the community and it’s just needed some good TLC for a while. We decided to go ahead and put some money into it and get it up to a better standard. Make it better for training, make it better for the local community as well,” said Crane.

Crane says the armory is the battalion headquarters for around 500 national guard members. Adding that the building is not only used for national guard training exercises but that it can also be used as an emergency shelter for the community.

The building is also host to Bluefield High School basketball games. Crane says the improvement process is still early but discussions have already identified one area for potential updates.

“We’ll have a design firm that will come in and look at it and help us figure out exactly what we need to upgrade. I know in particular we’ve had a lot of discussions about the bathroom facilities needing updated,” said Crane.

Crane says the improvements have a five year window to be put into place.

The fiscal year 2024 defense appropriations bill included $3.5 million in procurement and $3.5 million in operations and maintenance to support the WVNG’s Ridge Runner program.

The funded projects in the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill include:

• $8.3 million for a covered training area and building to support the physical fitness needs of more than 100,000 Soldiers who utilize the Camp Dawson facility in Kingwood, Preston County.

• $6 million to support the repair of the 167th Airlift Wing’s main gate in Martinsburg, Berkeley County, which will address numerous anti-terrorism and force protection deficiencies.

• $7 million to construct a new indoor small arms firing range at the 167th Airlift Wing, which will enhance readiness capabilities for more than 1,100 Airmen.

• $3 million for the renovation of faculties at the 130th Airlift Wing in Charleston, Kanawha County, to meet the mission requirements for the new C-130J-30 aircraft.

• $3.3 million for the planning and design of a new readiness center that meets all requirements for anti-terrorism and force protection in Parkersburg, Wood County.

• $1.95 million for the planning and design of a new readiness center that meets all requirements for anti-terrorism and force protection in Bluefield, Mercer County.

• $4.8 million for the planning and design of a new readiness center in Charleston, Kanawha County, that meets all requirements for anti-terrorism and force protection.

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