Army Says No to City Vets Groups

City Councilors learned this week that Army officials will not allow local veterans organizations to use the Paul A. Doble Army Reserve Center on Cottage Street after the new Army Reserve Center on Lafayette Road opens in March.

According to Portsmouth Community Development Director David Moore, the city learned from Gary Puryear, a Department of the Army representative, that they cannot allow the American Legion Post Frank E. Booma Post 6 or Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 168 to use the current Army Reserve Center. Both groups had written letters to the city inquiring about the property.

Puryear told city officials there are no "Public Conveyance Programs" that would allow the veterans groups to receive the Paul A. Doble property. Puryear also said the Army considers the veterans groups private organizations that cannot be considered as "other public benefits" as part of any negotiated sale between the city and Army.

Puryear told city officials the only way the veterans groups could receive the current Army Reserve Center, which will be closed as part of the Base Realignment and Closure program, would be through the public sale option. He indicated that would only happen if the city didn't want the property and the Army chose to sell it.

Moore said on Wednesday that he is preparing a follow up presentation for the City Council's next meeting on Feb. 19 that will include some options the council can consider if it chooses to acquire the property once it becomes available.

is scheduled to be completed in March 2013 after the project broke ground in March 2012. Once completed, the $9.16 million facility being constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be the new home for 49 soldiers with Detachment 2, A Company, of the 399^th Combat Support Hospital and 38 soldiers with the 378^th Minimum Care Detachment.