Austin, a single soldier who lives in the barracks, knows how soldiers live on tight budgets. Fort Stewart also needs millions invested in new barracks and other buildings around post. The post was opened just before World War II, and some wooden buildings are nearly 60 years old. They toured an old maintenance building where white paint peeled from the building's wood frame. Mold crept along the window frames and grease covered the concrete floor where workers repaired tank engines.
Most military bases have health clinics or hospitals for their troops.
However, soldiers sometimes need advanced care from civilian hospitals. Fort Stewart provided the perfect backdrop for Bush's military proposals. The post, which houses more than 16,000 soldiers, is one of the busiest in the military. Right now, more than 3,000 soldiers are in Bosnia and another 3,000 are preparing for peacekeeping in Kosovo in April. He said his administration would make things better to improve morale and encourage soldiers to stay in the Army.