Murphy's Law: U.S. Army Building Boom

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January 2, 2008: Expanding the U.S. Army by 74,200 troops (active duty, reserve and National Guard) requires new facilities (barracks, training, storage, vehicle maintenance, dependant housing) to be built. This will cost $88,949 of new construction for each additional soldier. All these new troops will be in service by 2010. All the new construction (20 brigade facilities, base housing for 69,000 troops, 4,100 family housing units, 66 day care centers and so on) will be in place by 2013. The reorganization of which unit is stationed where will mean moves for 380,000 soldiers over the next five years. Congress ordered the expansion of the army several years ago, and the army is ahead of schedule recruiting the additional troops.