BEST FACILITIES/FITNESS:
MCB Camp Pendleton — Area 53 Fitness Center
The new Camp Horno Area 53 fitness center at MCB Camp Pendleton, Calif., is a marvel of both form and function, combining cutting-edge fitness equipment, programs and services with sustainable design. The roof-mounted photovoltaic and solar heating systems provide “net zero” annual energy consumption, and the project was certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum — the highest level achievable.
NAVFAC Southwest contracted $5.7 million to SOLTEK Pacific Construction of San Diego to build the indoor fitness center. Total cost of the project was approximately $12 million, which included outdoor parking lots, fitness equipment and other equipment and amenities. Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) leadership who were instrumental in the completion of the project are MCCS Director Scott Macfarlane, Wellness Department Head Patti Onthank and Fitness Facilities Supervisors Clint Miller and Kerri Latimore.
“The Horno fitness center is a model for the future of Marine Corps construction with both sustainability employed during construction and long-term energy efficiency,” says Jennifer Kerschbaum, NAVFAC Southwest construction manager for the project. “The current energy savings due to the photovoltaic system is approximately $37,000 per year, and this savings will compound through the years as energy costs inevitably rise. The facility is supporting the physical fitness of the Marines, but also protecting national security by taking a step toward reducing our country's dependence on fossil fuels.” ...
BEST FACILITIES/REHAB and THERAPY:
Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center in San Antonio
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) opened its fifth Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center (PRC) at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) in San Antonio in October 2011. The state-of-the-art, $66 million inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation center treats veterans and active-duty service members with multiple traumatic injuries. San Antonio joins existing PRCs in Richmond, Va., Tampa, Fla., Palo Alto, Calif., and Minneapolis, Minn.
“Today, casualties survive catastrophic injuries that would have been lethal just a few years ago,” says Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki, who gave the keynote address during the dedication event in San Antonio. “More of our wounded are surviving, and more of them are permanently disabled by devastating injuries. They had the will to survive. We owe them the rest of the journey home.”
The cutting-edge PRC works closely with DoD to treat service members and veterans with physical, cognitive, psychological or psychosocial impairments and functional disabilities. Examples of polytrauma care include traumatic brain injury (TBI), amputations, burns, fractures, hearing loss and visual impairment. ...