Making Room For Soldiers At Fort Lee, VA

The Army has approved a 1,000 room lodging facility at Fort Lee, but even with approval, it may not open until early 2012. Construction funding may depend on approval from Congress.

The 1,000 room facility is to help support the student load at Army Logistics University. On July 2, the Army cut the ribbon on the school; with that, there will come a flood of new soldiers. “In July, the logistics university will be supporting 1,800 soldiers,” said Col. Michael Morrow, Fort Lee garrison commander; by July 2011, it will be supporting the full capacity of 2,300 soldiers.

The Army and Fort Lee began looking three years ago at the best ways to house soldiers. Morrow explained that the need is essentially broken down into soldiers staying less than six months, soldiers staying more than six months and Advanced Individual Training soldiers.

The young soldiers that are here for AIT will stay in barracks. New barracks are being built across post to support those soldier and some older barracks are being renovated. Soldiers staying more than six months are considered permanent party. “We’re building new housing on post to support those soldiers and their families.”

There is also a need for housing for soldiers staying less than six months. Currently, Fort Lee is able to provide 570 rooms on post to soldiers staying less than six months. “But right now, several hundred soldiers have to stay in hotels off post,” Morrow said. The Army came up with the solution of the hotel-like 1,000 room Army Lodging structure. The structure has been approved by the Army, but any non-appropriated funds from the Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation—under which the lodging facility falls—would have to be approved by Congress. The facility may also house Department of the Army civilian employees who are sent to Fort Lee for training or other functions that may last less than six months.

Even after the Army Lodging opens sometime in 2012, they will need between 500 and 800 rooms off post. Despite the demand for rooms, some hotels are missing out in the Tri-City area. The reason for that is per diem. Hotels must accept the federal per diem rate in order to host soldiers. Some do, some don’t and that’s why there is the distribution of soldiers as far as Richmond. Morrow said that starting in August, soldiers will receive the full per diem, which varies by rank and by where the soldier is staying off post. “It’s more flexible and will really help to accommodate their needs.”

Article by F.M. Wiggins, The Progress-Index, June 23, 2009.