Missouri National Guard officials initially created a list of items to spend stimulus money on. The list narrowed the focus on projects promoting energy efficiency, building sustainability, and troop morale. Camp Clark in Nevada, MO, settled on renovating four World War II-era barracks.  

"They were only built to be temporary facilities, and here we are, years later, still occupying them," said Lieutenant Colonel Brent Beckley from the Missouri Army National Guard. 

Contractors stripped the barracks down to the walls. Energy efficient lightbulbs, more efficient insulation, and heating and cooling systems will be utilized.

"When you make barracks better for troops to use - more energy efficient-wise... it just makes better living conditions for the troops while they're here," said Missouri National Guard Major Scott Macke.

The stimulus money will pay the $160,000 to $180,000 pricetag for each barrack renovation.  A total of $3 million is appropriated for Camp Clark.

"Any time you're doing renovations and any of that there is going to be an initial outlay of some expense to put the new technology in place. But over time, the pay-back from the newer technology will save you on the end, so that's the whole intent of this," said Beckley.

While contractors in Nevada are using stimulus money to build a better place for troops, a Columbia organization is using the money to build cases against internet predators.

The Mid-Missouri Internet Crimes Task Force officially started in January, 2007 as a collaborative effort between Boone County Sheriff's Department, Columbia Police Department, University of Missouri Police Department, and the Boone County Prosecutor's Office.  However, as the economy soured, the task force faced losing staff members.

However, the task force received federal stimulus dollars through Justice Assistance Grants, from the Department of Public Safety.

"What this grant allowed us to do was maintain two people that most likely would have lost," said Andy Anderson, detective and coordinator from the task force.

The task force includes four full-time employees, and one part-time employee. Without the money, Anderson says the effects would have been "devastating."

Task force detective Tracy Perkins would have likely lost her job without the stimulus funding.

"To know that the money was going to secure my job for another year was a nice feeling, to know that I could continue on with my duties," said Perkins.

Click on the photos below to see the Camp Clark barracks.