Rep. Jerry Carl visited Fort Novosel last week, meeting with base commanders and U.S. Army officials responsible for the 63,000 acres of land in Alabama’s Wiregrass region that serves as the headquarters of U.S. Army Aviation.
Novosel, previously known as Fort Rucker, first opened in 1942. Rep. Carl (R-Mobile) said he heard firsthand the ways in which the facility is showing its age.
“I just spent two days with Commanding General MG Michael McCurry and his team so I could learn more about the needs and challenges they are facing. Thanks to the hard work of Senator Britt and Chairman Mike Rogers, Fort Novosel is set to receive over $60 million dollars from the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), most of which will be used to improve the unsafe living conditions in many of the barracks on the installation.
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“I proudly supported the NDAA and these dollars going to Fort Novosel because this is a huge step forward for our servicemembers,” Carl added.
Fort Novosel is anchored in Dale County, and spans across Coffee, Geneva, and Houston Counties. The base, designated as a U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence in 2008, is home to a number of aviation brigades that support combat missions and servicemembers worldwide — including the 110th, 128th, and 1st.
The base, as well as U.S. Army Aviation itself, has been reflection of Alabama’s contribution to the warfighter, dating back to World War II, and the significant mobilization of American manpower and engineering that’s taken place since.
“Alabama has so much to be proud of, and Fort Novosel ranks high on this list. As the 5th largest employer in Alabama, and the largest employer south of Montgomery, Fort Novosel is the backbone of the Wiregrass and the surrounding communities. Not only does Fort Novosel employ nearly 15,000 people, but also, they provide support to an additional 113,000 veterans,” Rep. Carl said.
“There is still much work to be done to modernize and grow Fort Novosel, and I will continue fighting for them and all of Alabama’s military instillations because we have a duty to provide for our servicemembers who have signed up to protect and fight for our nation.”
Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
