By Adam Allington, STL Public Radio
St. Louis, MO –
Scott is a key transportation hub for personnel and equipment moving around the globe.
The so-called "Fusion Center" will consolidate all of US Transportation Command operations at one base.
Major General Bill Johnson Chief of Staff for US-TRANSCOM. He says the new facility will add some 1100 new staff to the base.
"This is a center of experts, whose job it is, to move the air, the sea, surface, rail and truck pieces of our transportation mission," says Johnson.
In 2005 Scott was in danger of being closed as part of the military's Base Closure and Realignment Act, known as BRAC.
Now Scott has become the central hub critical tasks such as moving troops and equipment in and out of Afghanistan.
"Enough new activities have been added that Scott Air Force base remains viable," added Johnson, "it is a huge economic engine for this region of the country certainly Southern Illinois and Missouri."
Johnson says the overall economic impact generated by Scott exceeds $2 billion per year.