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This summer, post exchange and commissary patrons may find the stores a little more crowded, traffic may be a little thicker and unit operations officers may have to plan a little further ahead to use high-demand training facilities on post.
That’s because Fort Lewis will welcome about 6,500 Soldiers home from deployment between May and September, hiking the post’s troop population to almost 29,000 in what many are calling the “summer surge.”
But Fort Lewis garrison officials have been hard at work for eight months, planning to accommodate the returning units with many new unit buildings, facelifts for existing barracks and facilties, and and a delicately crafted plan to ensure Soldiers, families and units get the support they need during the surge.
“This summer we have the largest group of Soldiers from the global war on terror returning to Fort Lewis,” said Tom Knight, deputy garrison commander. “We are very proud of our Soldiers and grateful to have them home. Our priority now is to take care of our returning Soldiers and their families.
“Of course, as our units return, there will be more people using services on Fort Lewis. We hope everyone at Fort Lewis will have patience and understanding for any temporary inconveniences, and I know we’re all willing to do that on behalf of our returning warriors.”
This summer’s returns will mark the first time since many of the units arrived or were created at Fort Lewis that they’ve all been on post at the same time — meaning that the installation’s growth over the past few years will be keenly felt all at once in the coming months. However, Knight said that construction and planning are now resulting in new, better facilities and improvements to others. The results should be positive for everyone, he said.
“The on-post facility challenges associated with the summer surge are temporary,” he said.
“Military construction already planned or under way will provide the facilities required for all of our units, Soldiers and families,” Knight said. “Our single Soldiers will occupy renovated or, in many cases, brand new facilities when they return. Our privatized housing partner continues to develop our family housing neighborhoods.”
“And, for those who choose to live off the installation,” Knight said, “our Pacific Northwest neighbors have always made our troops and their families welcome.”
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