Governor Greg Abbott recently announced a new round of grants totaling $14.1 million from the Texas Military Preparedness Commission’s (TMPC) Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant (DEAAG) program awarded to various military communities across the state. This program assists defense communities that may be positively or negatively impacted by a future Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round. The grant money will be invested in infrastructure projects and other initiatives to increase the military value of military installations in Texas and protect jobs.
The San Antonio Chamber of Commerce has continued to advocate in Austin for our region’s efforts to support and sustain our military presence and the awarding of DEAAG funding is an invaluable investment. This investment will enable our community to further promote economic growth and development of our region while also mutually benefiting critical military missions.
Of vital importance to San Antonio and Joint Base San Antonio is the awarding of $5,000,000 to an Alamo Area Council of Governments partnership project which will reinforce and harden power distribution across our region.
"The strength of our military communities in Texas is unparalleled in part because of state support like the DEAAG program,” said Gov. Abbott. “Not only are the 15 major military installations and Army Futures Command in Texas critical for the defense of our nation, they also add over $101 billion to the state’s economy and support, directly and indirectly, more than 224,000 jobs in communities across this great state. Now more than ever, this support is critical. That is why I will continue to work with the Texas Legislature and TMPC to ensure that our military installations continue to add unmatched value.”
Other FY2020-2021 DEAAG disbursements are:
Abilene – $616,389; Security Control Center expansion at Dyess Air Force Base brings additional capacity to the security center.
Corpus Christi – $919,500; Flight line security and safety enhancements at Corpus Christi Army Depot.
El Paso – $2,050,000; Expansion of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant, serving El Paso and Fort Bliss.
Texarkana – $516,670; Robotic Vehicle Program preparing Red River Army Depot for the Army’s new robotics mission.
Tom Green County – $5,000,000; Project Resiliency funds power infrastructure, human resiliency, and communications infrastructure, benefiting San Angelo and Goodfellow Air Force Base.
The TMPC is part of the Governor’s Office and advises the Governor and the Legislature on defense and military issues and ways to strengthen the position of Texas military installations in preparation for a potential BRAC and other defense-related issues. The commission is composed of 13 members serving six-year staggered terms, typically representing an installation in their community.
