LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The state of Texas awarded nearly $2.3 million in grants to Laughlin Air Force Base Tuesday morning to help improve the base infrastructure.
The grants will fund $864,874 for renovations to the wing’s Aerospace Physiology building and $1.4 million to upgrade the T-1A flight line building. Both structures are critical to the base’s mission of producing world-class pilots.
“Thank you to everyone who helped achieve this,” said Col. Craig Prather, 47th Flying Training Wing commander. “We are the world’s largest pilot production engine and preparing for tomorrow’s battles means that we must improve the infrastructure of today.”
A joint team of Laughlin members, Del Rio Chamber of Commerce and community members with expertise in community planning, grant writing and various areas of construction worked together to secure the base’s fifth and sixth Texas Military Preparedness Commission funded projects over the last 11 years.
Each year the TMPC’s Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant Program awards grants to increase the military value of military installations in Texas and protect jobs in those communities. This year the program awarded $15.3 million to six military bases across Texas.
“Not only are the 15 major military installations and Army Futures Command in Texas critical to our nation’s defense, they also add over $123 billion to the state’s economy and support, directly and indirectly, more than 633,000 jobs in communities across this great state,” said Greg Abbott, Texas Governor. That is why I will continue to work with the Texas Legislature and TMPC to ensure that our military installations continue to add unmatched value.”
Previous projects included upgrades to the base’s Defense Control Center and construction of aircraft sunshades. Each project continues to ensure the base remains one of the Air Force’s premiere locations for undergraduate pilot training for many years to come.