Construction begins on million-dollar medical complex

In the last week of June, U.S. Army officials, legislators and others met to celebrate the start of a $295 million, 52-acre hospital complex project, according to a news release from the U.S. Army.

With an expected completion date in 2024, the state-of-the-art complex has been called the new General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital (GLWACH), set to replace the current hospital by the same name.

“Today is a dream come true for this military community and for the entire region,” Maj. Gen. Donna Martin, Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general, said.

The new complex will include a 235,400-square-foot hospital facility along with a 193,000-square-foot clinic, a central utility plant, emergency back-up generators, five-bay ambulance garage, helipad and supporting facilities, according to the release.

“The new hospital will have all the capabilities of our current facility,” Col. Kimberlie Biever, GLWACH commander, said. “It will be more efficient in terms of function, it will be more cost-effective to maintain, and it will be a beautiful facility where people want to work and where our patients will be welcomed in a therapeutic environment.”

Built in 1965, GLWACH is the oldest hospital in the U.S. Army system. Although ranked No. 1 in outpatient efficiency by U.S. Army Medical Command, some have claimed the update is needed to better serve healthcare providers and patients, according to the release.

Lt. Gen. Scott Dingle, the 45th Surgeon General of the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Medical Command commanding general, says the modernization of the hospital facilities would benefit the missions there.

“The hospital is the same age as I am, and as modernization is always occurring, as medical technology is always occurring, the hospital obviously has been modernized and upgraded,” Dingle said. “However, in order for us to keep pace with the beneficiary population, the care to support the readiness of our soldiers and family members and civilians, it’s time for us to give them the equipment, the facility, that can support the requirements.”

Lt. Gen. Ronald Place, director of the Defense Health Agency in Falls Church, Virginia, said one of the key improvements the new facilities will provide is expanded intensive-care capacity.

“The new hospital, with new designs, will better enable the local community here to care for those who are more critically ill,” Place said.

JE Dunn Construction Midwest Region President Paul Neidlein said up to 4,000 people will be hired by his company and subcontractors to work on the project at various times over the next four years, according to the release.

“Maintaining our hospital on post is a huge win for the Army and the nation, but more importantly for every person we serve.” Maj. Gen. Donna Martin said at the ceremony. “I hope when you drive by this construction site, you’ll think about what doesn’t change: our commitment to our people.”