President Donald Trump is diverting $3.6 billion in U.S. military funding to build part of his wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, but where is the money actually coming from? So far we’ve only heard talk about a few million dollars here and a few million dollars there, but last night NPR finally obtained the complete list of projects at the U.S. Department of Defense that will be delayed so that Trump can build his wall. And everything on the list is quite obviously more important to U.S. national security than the symbol of racist grievance that Trump wants to build at America’s southern border.
The list includes everything from $8 million for a Space Control Facility at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado to $85 million for an MQ-9 drone training facility at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. There’s also a $10 million Cyber Ops facility in Virginia that will be put on hold, along with dozens of facilities for fuel storage, hazardous waste management, and aircraft maintenance around the world.
The Pentagon money will also be diverted from schools that serve the children of U.S. service members overseas, including $56 million being taken from an elementary school in Stuttgart, Germany, $79 million from an elementary school at Spangdahlem Airbase in Germany, and $40 million being diverted from a high school in Yokosuka, Japan. Closer to home, $90 million is being taken from a project that would build an Engineering Center at the U.S. Military Academy in New York and $62.6 million is being diverted from the Ft Campbell Middle School in Kentucky.
The $3.6 billion will reportedly be used to build roughly 175 miles of wall by the end of 2020, just in time for the next presidential election. And ultimately that’s what this is all about. Back in 2016, President Trump promised to build the wall and make Mexico pay for it. Mexico obviously hasn’t spent a dime on Trump’s wall, and to date not a single mile of wall has been built that wasn’t simply replacing existing wall.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper wrote a letter to the House Armed Services Committee this week explaining that the new barriers at the border would be near Yuma, Arizona; San Diego, California; El Paso, Texas; and Laredo, Texas.
Obviously some Trump supporters will defend this reallocation of Pentagon funds by saying that the military didn’t actually need any of these projects anyway. Which raises the question, why has President Trump always insisted that taxpayers need to give the military more money? Trump, after all, says that he “rebuilt” the military.
The complete list of projects that are being delayed is below:
Weapon Maintenance Shop at Anniston Army Depot (Alabama) – $5.2 million
Repair Central Heat/Power Plant Boiler PH 4 at Eielson AFB (Alaska) – $41 million
Repair Central Heat & Power Plant Boiler Ph3 at Eielson AFB (Alaska) – $34.4 million
Eielson AFB Improved CATM Range at Eielson AFB (Alaska) – $19 million
Missile Field #1 Expansion at Fort Greely (Alaska) – $8 million
Ground Transport Equipment Building at Fort Huachuca (Arizona) – $30 million
Construct C-130J Flight Simulator Facility at Channel Islands ANGS (California) – $8 million
Fire/Crash Rescue Station at Tyndall AFB (Florida) – $17 million
Consolidated Training Facility at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (Hawaii) – $5.5 million
Security Improvements Mokapu Gate at Kaneohe Bay (Hawaii) – $26.4 million
Railcar Holding Area at Crane Army Ammunition Plant (Indiana) – $16 million
Construct Small Arms Range at Hulman Regional Airport (Indiana) – $8 million
Ft Campbell Middle School at Fort Campbell, Kentucky – $62.6 million
NORTHCOM – Construct Alert Apron at Joint Reserve Base New Orleans (Louisiana) – $15 million
NORTHCOM – Construct Alert Facilities at Joint Reserve Base New Orleans (Louisiana) – $24 million
Cantonment Area Roads at Fort Meade (Maryland)- $16.5 million
PAR Relocate Haz Cargo Pad and EOD Range at Joint Base Andrews (Maryland) – $37 million
Child Development Center at Joint Base Andrews (Maryland)- $13 million
Construct Small Arms Range at Jackson IAP (Mississippi) – $8 million
MQ-9 FTU Ops Facility at Holloman AFB (New Mexico) – $85 million
Information Systems Facility at White Sands (New Mexico) – $40 million
Engineering Center at U.S. Military Academy (New York) – $95 million
Parking Structure at U.S. Military Academy (New York) – $65 million
2nd Radio BN Complex, Phase 2 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina – $25.6 million
Ambulatory Care Center Addition/Alteration at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina – $15.3 million
Butner Elementary School Replacement at Fort Bragg (North Carolina) – $32.9 million
KC-46A ADAL for Alt Mission Storage at Seymour Johnson AFB (North Carolina) – $6.4 million
Construct Small Arms Range at Tulsa Iap (Oklahoma) – $8 million
Construct Indoor Range at Klamath Falls IAP (Oregon) – $8 million
Replace Fuel Facilities at Klamath Falls IAP (Oregon) – $2.5 million
Laurel Bay Fire Station Replacement at Beaufort (South Carolina) – $10.7 million
Defense Access Roads at Fort Bliss (Texas) – $20 million
Camp Bullis Dining Facility at Joint Base San Antonio (Texas) – $18.5 million
Composite Aircraft Antenna Calibration Fac at Hill AFB (Utah) – $26 million
UTTR Consolidated Mission Control Center at Hill AFB (Utah) – $28 million
Construct Cyber Ops Facility Joint Base Langley-Eustis (Virginia) – $10 million
Replace Hazardous Materials Warehouse at Norfolk (Virginia) – $18.5 million
Pentagon Metro Entrance Facility at the Pentagon (Virginia) – $12. 1 million
Replace Hazardous Materials Warehouse at Portsmouth (Virginia) – $22.5 million
Ships Maintenance Facility at Portsmouth (Virginia) – $26.1 million
Pier and Maintenance Facility at Bangor (Washington) – $88.9 million
Construct Small Arms Range at Truax Field (Wisconsin) – $8 million
Earth Covered Magazines at Joint Region Marianas (Guam) – $52.2 million
PRTC Roads at Joint Region Marianas (Guam) – $2.5 million
Water Well Field at Joint Region Marianas (Guam) – $56 million
Navy-Commercial Tie-In Hardening at Joint Region Marianas (Guam) – $37.1 million
Machine Gun Range at Joint Region Marianas (Guam) – $50 million
APR – Munitions Storage Igloos, Ph 2 at Joint Region Marianas (Guam) – $35.3 million
Hayman Munitions Storage Igloos MSA 2 at Joint Region Marianas (Guam) – $9.8 million
APR – SATCOM C4I Facility at Joint Region Marianas (Guam) – $14.2 million
Readiness Center at Arroyo (Puerto Rico) – $30 million
Company Headquarters Bldg -Transient Training at Camp Santiago (Puerto Rico) – $47 million
Dining Facility, Transient Training at Camp Santiago (Puerto Rico) – $13 million
Engineering/Housing Maintenance Shops (DPW) at Camp Santiago (Puerto Rico)- $11 million
Maneuver Area Training Equipment Site at Camp Santiago (Puerto Rico) – $80 million
National Guard Readiness Center at Camp Santiago (Puerto Rico) – $50 million
Power Substation/Switching Station Building at Camp Santiago (Puerto Rico) – $18.5 million
Vehicle Maintenance Shop at Gurabo (Puerto Rico) – $28 million
Ramey Unit School Replacement at Punta Borinquen (Puerto Rico) – $61 million
Aircraft Maintenance Hangar (AASF) at San Juan (Puerto Rico) – $64 million
Vehicle Maintenance Shop at St. Croix (Virgin Islands) – $20 million
Power Substation/Switching Station Building at St. Croix (Virgin Islands) – $3.5 million
National Guard Vehicle Maintenance Shop Add/A at St. Thomas (Virgin Islands) – $3.8 million
Fleet Maintenance Facility & TOC at SW Asia (Bahrain Island) – $26.3 million
Europe West District Superintendent’s Office at Chievres AB (Belgium) – $14.3 million
EDI: Ammunition Holding Area at Nevo Selo Fos (Bulgaria) – $5.2 million
Working Dog Treatment Facility Replacement at Guantanamo Bay (Cuba) – $9 million
EDI: SOF Operations Facility at Unspecified Estonia – $6.1 million
EDI: SOF Training Facility at Unspecified Estonia – $9.6 million
SOF Joint Parachute Rigging Facility at Baumholder (Germany) – $11. 5 million
Mission Training Complex at East Camp Grafenwoehr (Germany) – $31 million
MARFOREUR HQ Modernization and Expansion at Panzer Kaserne (Germany) – $43.9 million
37 AS Squadron Operations/AMU at Ramstein AB (Germany) – $13.4 million
EDI – KMC DABS-FEV/RH Storage Warehouses at Ramstein AB (Germany) – $119 million
F/A-22 Low Observable/Composite Repair Fac at Spangdahlem AB (Germany) – $18 million
EIC – Site Development and Infrastructure at Spangdahlem AB (Germany) – $43.4 million
Spangdahlem Elementary School Replacement at Spangdahlem AB (Germany) – $79.1 million
Upgrade Hardened Aircraft Shelters for F/A-22 at Spangdahlem AB (Germany) – $2.7 million
Robinson Barracks Elem. School Replacement at Stuttgart (Germany) – $46.6 million
Clay Kaserne Elementary School at Weisbaden (Germany) – $56 million
Hazardous Material Storage Building at Wiesbaden Army Airfield (Germany) – $2.7 million
EDI: Marathi Logistics Support Center at Souda Bay (Greece) – $6.2 million
EDI: Joint Mobility Processing Center at Souda Bay (Greece) – $41.6 million
ERI: Airfield Upgrades at Kecskemet AB (Hungary) – $12.9 million
ERI: Construct Parallel Taxiway at Kecskemet AB (Hungary) – $30 million
ERI: Increase POL Storage Capacity at Kecskemet AB (Hungary) – $12.5 million
EDI: P-8A Taxiway and Apron Upgrades at Sigonella (Italy) – $66 million
Bechtel Elementary School at Camp Mctureous (Japan) – $94 million
Fuel Pier at Iwakuni (Japan) – $33.2 million
Construct Bulk Storage Tanks PH 1 at Iwakuni (Japan) – $30 million
Truck Unload Facilities at Kadena AB (Japan) – $21.4 million
SOF Maintenance Hangar at Kadena AB (Japan) – $3.9 million
SOF Maintenance Hangar at Kadena AB (Japan) – $42.8 million
APR – Replace Munitions Structures at Kadena AB (Japan) – $19.8 million
C-130J Corrosion Control Hangar at Yokota AB (Japan) – $23.7 million
Construct CATM Facility at Yokota AB (Japan) – $8.2 million
Hangar/Aircraft Maintenance Unit at Yokota AB (Japan) – $12 million
Hangar/AMU at Yokota AB (Japan) – $39.4 million
Operations and Warehouse Facilities at Yokota AB (Japan) – $8.5 million
Operations and Warehouse Facilities at Yokota AB (Japan) – $26.7 million
Kinnick High School Inc 1 at Yokosuka (Japan) – $40 million
Command and Control Facility at Camp Tango (South Korea) – $17.5 million
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Hangar at Kunsan AB (South Korea) – $53 million
ERI: ECAOS Deployable Airbase System Storage at Sanem (Luxembourg) – $67.4 million
ERI: Replace/Expand Quick Reaction Alert Pad at Rygge (Norway) – $10.3 million
EDI: Staging Areas at Poland – $34 million
EDI: Staging Areas at Poland – $17 million
EDI: Ammunition Storage Facility at Poland – $52 million
EDI: Rail Extension and Railhead at Poland – $6.4 million
EDI: Bulk Fuel Storage at Powidz Air Base (Poland) – $21 million
EDI: Explosives & Ammo Load/Unload Apron at Mihail Kogalniceanu (Romania) – $21.6 million
EDI – Regional Munitions Storage Area at Malacky (Slovakia) – $59 million
ERI: Increase POL Storage Capacity at Malacky (Slovakia) – $20 million
ERI: Airfield Upgrades at Malacky (Slovakia) – $4 million
ERI: Airfield Upgrades at Sliac Airport (Slovakia) – $22 million
EDI: Port Operations Facilities at Rota (Spain) – $21.5 million
OCO: Relocate Base Main Access Control Point at Incirlik AB (Turkey) – $14.6 million
Croughton Elem/Middle/High School Replacement at Croughton RAF (UK) – $71.4 million
Main Gate Complex at Croughton RAF (UK) – $16.5 million
RAFMH Main Gate Rehabilitation at Menwith Hill Station (UK) – $11 million
EIC RC-135 Infrastructure at Royal Air Force Fairford (UK) – $2.1 million
EIC RC-135 Intel and Squad Ops Facility at Royal Air Force Fairford (UK) – $38 million
EIC RC-135 Runway Overrun Reconfiguration at Royal Air Force Fairford (UK) – $5.5 million
EDI – Munitions Holding Area at Raf Fairford (UK) – $19 million
EDI – Construct DABS-FEV Storage at Raf Fairford (UK) – $87 million
TACMOR – Utilities and Infrastructure Support (Classified location) – $18 million
Planning and Design (Worldwide unspecified) – $13.5 million
