By Catherine O’Dell, Photography by Don McKenzie, September 2010

• Introduction
• A massive job
• A massive expansion
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A massive expansion

In 2003, SUS introduced a 50-year operations and maintenance contract to provide existing and future electric distribution on Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base and Camp Mackall in nearby Richmond and Scotland counties. The plan came just in time. By 2005, Fort Bragg had been chosen as the new home for the U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) and the U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC). These units, among others, are expected to relocate here from Fort McPherson, Ga., by October 2011. Once the realignment is complete, the area population could grow by over 40,000 military personnel, civilian employees, contractors, support personnel and family members.

FORSCOM is responsible for 750,000 active and reserve soldiers nationwide. USARC is responsible for the command and control of all the nation’s Army Reserve forces, and it provides the logistical, operational and functional supervision to ensure wartime preparedness of all Army Reserve units.

The military is expected to spend $1.3 billion on construction projects on Fort Bragg by 2013, while additional privatized military housing is estimated at $336 million, according to the Comprehensive Regional Growth Plan prepared by the BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) Regional Task Force, which represents the surrounding counties and municipalities.
Not only has there been a flurry of construction projects to prepare the sprawling 18-building FORSCOM/USARC complex featuring a 700,000-square-foot headquarters building, but SUS has come to expect certain unforeseen construction projects as well.

“Construction of the FORSCOM headquarters is a huge project, but we have also seen a lot of growth from other (military) contractors needing buildings on post to support FORSCOM,” Brown says. There have been calls for new barracks, dining facilities, health clinics, offices, motor pool and maintenance structures and family housing units.

All across Fort Bragg, the traditional white clapboard-sided bay-style WWII era barracks are being replaced by multi-story brick and stucco barracks containing suites to accommodate four to eight soldiers each. Approximately 2,700 soldiers relocating to Fort Bragg will be living in military housing.

Recently, Fort Bragg launched a new housing venture along with Picerne Military Housing to set a new standard of living for military families. Linden Oaks is built on 1,100 acres off NC Hwy. 87 in Harnett County. Once complete, the controlled-access subdivision will ultimately have 1,262 homes for junior enlisted and senior non-commissioned officers, as well as company and field grade officers. Linden Oaks has Fort Bragg fire and police protection, a child development center, two recreational centers with community pools, two elementary and one middle school, and a dog park.

Like its cooperative partners, SUS is committed to its surrounding community. SUS holds an annual golf tournament to benefit the schools on post. Proceeds are split among all Fort Bragg schools and given to their PTAs and guidance departments. Brown admits he was inspired by the North Carolina cooperatives’ Bright Ideas teacher grant program and decided that Sandhills Utility Services also is suited to help the children of our nation’s warriors.

Sandhills Utility Services
www.sandhillsutility.com
BRAC Regional Task Force
www.bracrtf.com
Fort Bragg
www.bragg.army.mil

Catherine O’Dell is manager of member and public affairs at South River EMC, Dunn.