Milford chronicle., 1954-12-17
With 3rd Armored
sPeurheud" Division

3rd Armored Division (spear-
head Fort Knox. Ky.-An excl
visiting Fort Knox's 8rd Armored
Division today would Be forced to
admit that when he was a soldier
he never had 1t that good.
Nearly One-fOurth Of the men re-
ceiYing ArmOr training with the
Spearhead Division today are
housed In neWly-c0nstructed build-
lngs which would probably Be
termed lavish BY a World war II
veteran
The three-stOry structures are
built Of steel and reinforced con
crete. Ultra-modern In design, they
are painted pastel pink and have
tiled laVatOries and tile floors. They
represent the latest the Army-or
anyone else has to ofler In per
manent troop-hOusing facilities.
NO our Army hasn't gone soft
Or extrevagant
Actually. in the long run. these
permanent concrete structures win
save the American taxpayer money.
Fort Knox cost accounting ex-
perts figured that maintenance and
repair on permanent buildings cost
less than five cents per square foot
Of hOor space during the fiscal year
Of 1854. But during the same
period, It cost the government over
fifteen cents per square foot for
the upkeep Of temporary barracks
az The ArmOred Center.
That means ii cost ten cents more
20 maintain a square foot OF tempo i
rary barracks at Fort Knox during
1854 than it did to maintain the /
same area Of permanent structure. /
through the years, Army-Wide I
housing maintenance costs have 1
nave shown essentially the same /
permanent-temporary difference as
the 1854 Fort Knox figures.
Not only is the cost Of mainten-
ance less on permanent buildings.
put the repair expenses increase at
q slower rate than they do on tenn
poraTy structures. At least, that's
what the Army's cost accountants
say.
Temporary. wooden barracks
we're built at Fort Knox during
the rapid expansion Of Americas
armed forces in 1871 and 1912 AT
that time, most housing experfs
estimated the buildings would last
ten years. But, thanks to careful
and economy, they
are still in use.
me average American trades in
lls old automobile when repairs
begin costing him too much money.
lust so, the Army has decided il
s more economical to invest in
lew housing than to continue
Meeting the rising costs Of MAIN
enance on the old buildings.
The 5rd ArmOred Division was
me Of the first spots chosen BY the /
army to begin this new housing {
project
Eighteen concrete barracks have
'een built since construction began
2 1852. These buildings house i
learly 5000 men or approximately
lne-fourth Of the Division. IN addi-
ion, two battalion Headquarters
buildings, one regimental head
quarters, a class room, three ware
iouses and tank park have been
.uilt in the same pattern.
Upon completion Of the perma-
ent construction project, the
liVlslon will be contained in about
an the space it now Occupies.
khether or not the plan is full
lied depends upon the size Of fu-
ire government appropriations.
SO much for the big picture"
ut, what does it all mean to the
verage recruit?
Well suppose he's lucky enough
, be assigned to one Of the Armor
'alning companies housed IN the
ID Armored Divisions 'spfnk
alaces.
He still marches just as far as
e used to, or drives his tank
trough just as much mud during
DAY Of training But in his off,
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