Bahrain facilities expanding to meet mission

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A pair of sailors walk into the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet headquarters at Naval Support Activity Bahrain. The U.S. Navy base in Millions of dollars have been spent to improve the base.


Bahrain facilities expanding to meet mission
By Scott Schonauer, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Thursday, November 8, 2007


MANAMA, Bahrain

This tiny island nation in the Persian Gulf is an oasis in a troubled region.

New high-rise corporate buildings, hotels and luxury apartments shoot up into the sky and overlook emerald waters. Construction cranes are everywhere, and opulent shopping centers are going up at a rapid pace, offering everything from Starbucks to Saks Fifth Avenue.

Property is in such high demand that the country has found a way to reclaim land from the gulf to expand the coast for developers.

The U.S. Navy also occupies a valuable piece of island property. Bahrain is a strong U.S. ally and home to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and 5th Fleet headquarters.

While investment companies and bankers jockey for office space in the capital, the Navy operates a base expected to remain among the military’s most important overseas locations for years to come.

The Pentagon has used the base since assuming control in 1973 from the United Kingdom. But in the past five years, the U.S. quietly has doubled the number of military personnel to 3,600 and poured millions of dollars into improving its buildings and boosting the quality of life for those who work at Naval Support Activity Bahrain. The installation now is home to 80 different commands.


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=50119