FORT LEE — The Army's top general Thursday received his first up-close look at the expansion taking place at Fort Lee.
Gen. George W. Casey Jr., chief of staff of the Army, said the growth at the installation is key to the long-term sustainment of the Army.
"The synergy of having a transportation center, quartermaster center and ordnance center all in the same place, especially when you're creating a logistics branch, is going to have a long-term impact on the Army," Casey said before leaving the base.
The federal government is spending nearly $1.2 billion on the expansion at Fort Lee, which is growing because of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission process.
Fort Lee's population is expected to grow to about 45,000 people by 2011. Military students, other military personnel and families from installations in Texas, Maryland, Alabama and Virginia are moving to the Prince George installation.
Casey visited construction sites and facilities, including the new Army Ordnance School and Army Logistics University, both of which opened last year.
He is scheduled to be at Fort Polk in Louisiana today.
"I'm very impressed with the way the construction and everything is proceeding," Casey said. "I'm very impressed with the young officers and noncommissioned officers that I talked to."
However, the expansion hasn't gone without some controversy. Many Tri-Cities businesses are against the Army's proposal to build a 1,000-room hotel on Fort Lee to house the expected influx of students to the base.
"The most important thing is that these soldiers coming through here temporarily have a place to stay. I'm told it's not going to substantially subtract from downtown businesses, especially as the rest of the forces show up," Casey said.
An impact study conducted by a consulting firm found that on-base lodging would not adversely affect hotels and businesses in the Tri-Cities region.
Jeremy Slayton is a staff writer at the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
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