The defense bill allocates $723M for Alaskan projects and improves National Guard staffing for engagement.

Airmen and soldiers from the Alaska National Guard are set to benefit from the provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act for 2025, which recently passed in the U.S. Senate. The act includes specific provisions for Alaska that will bring in hundreds of millions of dollars for new construction projects and protect local National Guard units from staffing changes. Both of Alaska’s Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, along with Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola, supported the bill, which authorizes $923.3 billion in defense spending.

The bill includes over $723 million for new military projects in Alaska, such as the construction of the Joint Integrated Test and Training Center at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and improvements at other military installations in the state. One significant provision for Alaska is the protection of National Guard positions from a planned staffing adjustment called “fulltime leveling.” This adjustment was set to change the employment status of around 80 positions within the Alaska Air National Guard, but the state received a permanent exemption.

The bill also addresses future leveling policies by increasing the number of Active Guard Reserve positions, ensuring the security of the National Guard units in Alaska. Sen. Murkowski highlighted that the provisions added to the bill establish new safeguards to prevent any further leveling policies that may affect Guard units. Overall, the bill passed with overwhelming support in both the Senate and the House, and it includes various provisions pushed by Sen. Sullivan, including a requirement for an annual report on Arctic Strategy resourcing.

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