USVI to Become Global 'Force Projection' for U.S. Army as National Guard Announces $39 Million State-of-the-Art Facilities on St. Croix

In a significant stride towards bolstering defense capabilities, Maj. Gen. Kodjo Knox-Limbacker of the Virgin Islands National Guard has revealed to the Consortium plans for the construction of new, state-of-the-art facilities.

The purpose of these projects is to ensure that soldiers, airmen, and Department of Defense civilians are equipped with the highest standards of efficiency.

"The Virgin Islands National Guard’s unique capabilities place us in a prime position to respond to civil support efforts across our four non-contiguous islands," Knox-Limbacker stated. "Our force must be professionally trained with modern equipment and facilities to maintain its readiness and responsiveness."

Two key projects highlighted are the new Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF) and the Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support Team (WMD-CST) ready building. The objective of these projects is to exceed the standards for federal and state missions. Knox-Limbacker emphasized the commitment to rehabilitate and upgrade existing facilities where possible, and construct new facilities to accommodate new formations and equipment fielded to the Virgin Islands Army and Air National Guard.

In collaboration with the V.I. Port Authority and the Federal Aviation Agency, a 25-acre land lease has been secured on the north side of Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix for the construction of the AASF and WMD-CST facilities. The AASF will span approximately 30,000 square feet, and the WMD-CST facility will occupy around 17,000 square feet. These projects, worth up to $39 million, are entirely federally funded under the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, Knox-Limbacker made known.