Privatized Housing at Scott Is Latest in No-Cost-to-Government Plan: Scott AFB, Ill., will have 1,593 homes within the first four years of a 50-year deal, with no Air Force money involved, say USAF officials. The Air Force estimates that 45 percent of its family housing needs major improvements or renovations to meet standards set by DOD. The total bill for such an effort would have been close to $6 billion—way beyond the construction budget. The Scott deal brings the total number of homes under privatization plans to more than 16,000—about one-third of the homes needed. At this rate, officials expect to have another 13 projects closed at 19 bases by December 2006.
Lloyd Austin, President-elect Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Pentagon, spent his Senate confirmation hearing on Jan. 19 pressing his civilian bona fides to lawmakers, with some pledging opposition to the waiver Austin would need to become the nation’s first Black Defense Secretary. Austin spent 40 years in the military…