With more than 30 major military installations in Virginia, the Commonwealth plays a vital role in our nation’s defense. Proper maintenance of Virginia’s military facilities and bases is as important to the livelihood of the Commonwealth as it is to our national security and welfare of our service members. As a member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services and chair of its Subcommittee on Personnel, I will continue working in a bipartisan manner to support Virginia’s military needs.
 

In 2009, for the first time in at least 15 years, Virginia ranked first in terms of the level of Department of Defense spending in individual states across the nation for all categories—defense contracts, personnel payroll, and grants. In 2009, this investment totaled approximately $55 billion. Our Commonwealth also leads the nation in terms of Department of Defense personnel employment—roughly 6 percent of Virginia’s workforce. We also have large numbers of active duty and retired military personnel from all branches of the armed forces who call Virginia home. Our defense industrial base is one of the critical building blocks for our nation’s security—the foundation for the modernization of today’s military forces and the recapitalization for tomorrow’s.
 

In the Senate, I have secured needed funding for Virginia’s military installations and servicemembers in annual defense and veterans affairs budget authorization legislation.  I am pleased that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that I supported provided nearly $360 million for construction and restoration of Virginia military facilities.



In addition to sustaining the important missions of our Commonwealth’s military facilities, my focus on our national security interests also encompasses continued support for critical modernization and military construction projects, and proper equipping of the Virginia National Guard. Additionally, I have worked to keep Naval Station Norfolk the East Coast homeport for the Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carriers assigned to the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. To read more about my efforts to prevent the relocation of an aircraft carrier to Mayport, Florida, please click here.