WASHINGTON - President Biden has signed the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act which includes more than $8.7 million for military construction projects at Camp Ravenna and the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.

The funding will be used to widen the assault runway for training required to meet mission requirements.

The bill includes infrastructure improvements to the 21,000-acre Camp James A. Garfield which is located in Portage and Trumbull counties.

The government says the improvements will help turn Camp Garfield into a world-class training center for the Army, National Guard, and other DOD units in the Midwestern United States making it a regional training destination.

Among the recent improvements are a Fire and Movement Range, and the current construction of an Automated Record Fire Range.

Funding is also earmarked for the Youngstown Air Reserve Station, home to the 910th Airlift Wing, where the Station's assault runway/taxiway will be repaired and expanded to fulfill the mission requirements necessary to support C-17 and C-130 aircraft.

All crew members are required to complete qualifications training and mission certificate training on tactical landing zones.

The current assault runway has limited capabilities and is not in condition for current training or future missions.

Military officials say that by widening the runway, this training can remain available at the Station and support mission requirements.

Without this project, the 910th and nearby Air Force bases in the region would be forced to travel long distances to be able to train on a landing zone capable of supporting C-17 and C-130 aircraft size.

The project will also allow the runway to conform to EPA environmental requirements and Executive Orders prioritizing environmental sustainability by including a properly designed drainage infrastructure.

The Youngstown Air Reserve Station is the largest employer in Trumbull County employing over 2,000 people, with 1,440 of them reservists and active duty.

The base’s economic impact on the area in 2020 was $137.3 million, up from $115 million in 2019.