COLUMBIA, SC (SCDVA) - Berkeley and Aiken Counties are the newest recipients of grant funding from the South Carolina Department of Veterans' Affairs, Military Enhancement Fund. The approved projects include:
- $449,000 to Berkeley County to improve sewer service for the Short Stay Recreational Area housed at Joint Base Charleston.
- $1,455,325 to Aiken County for new equipment at the Cyber Integration Center under construction at the University of South Carolina-Aiken campus.
Berkeley County - Short Stay Recreational Area
The Short Stay Recreational Area in Berkeley County housed on Joint Base Charleston sits on 55-acres of land on Lake Moultrie. The recreational development is open to Veterans, retired military, active military and Department of Defense personnel assigned to Joint Base Charleston while in authorized leave status.
Learn more about the Joint Base Charleston Short Stay Recreational Area in Berkeley County by clicking HERE.
Cyber Integration Center: University of South Carolina-Aiken
Information and photo provided by University of South Carolina-Aiken
In May of 2025, the University of South Carolina-Aiken became the newest hub for cybersecurity innovation hosting a groundbreaking ceremony for the South Carolina National Guard Cyber Integration Center (CIC).
The new facility will be built on an 18-acre site on the USC-Aiken campus. The center will be a collaborative ecosystem, bringing together cyber professionals to provide students with valuable real-world experience in national defense and cybersecurity operations.
Read more about the Cyber Integration Center at USC-Aiken by clicking HERE.
About the Military Enhancement Plan Fund
The South Carolina Department of Veterans’ Affairs (SCDVA) administers the Military Enhancement Plan Fund as directed in Budget Provisos which state, “Funds appropriated to the department for the Military Enhancement Plan may be allocated to items including, but not limited to, land acquisition, recreational purposes, educational purposes, and facilities for military personnel. Eligible recipients are counties and municipalities with federal military installations.”
Federal military installations, as defined in South Carolina Code 6-29-1625 (A), include Fort Jackson, Shaw Air Force Base, McEntire Joint National Guard Base, Joint Base Charleston, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Beaufort Naval Hospital, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, Charleston Naval Weapons Station and Fort Gordon. For the purposes of this program, US Coast Guard installations in South Carolina are also considered federal military installations, as are any subordinate federal installations of those named above.
For additional information on the Military Enhancement Plan Fund including application deadlines, contacts and recent awards, click HERE.