BELLEVILLE – Representatives Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Mike Bost (IL-12) announced that the Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Company has been awarded a $10,334,376 contract from the Defense Logistics Agency to make flight deck safety boots for the U.S. Navy. Last year, Budzinski announced a $7.8 million contract with the U.S. Army.
“The Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Company has played a critical role in equipping the men and women serving our nation in the armed forces since World War II,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “I’m thrilled to announce a $10.3 million contract that will allow Belleville Boots to produce flight deck safety boots for the U.S. Navy. I’ve been glad to work on a bipartisan basis with Congressman Bost to support domestic military equipment manufacturing and I look forward to continuing to support the important manufacturing work happening in the Metro East.”
“Belleville Boots is a proud Metro East company that generates local jobs and ensures our military men and women have the quality footwear they need to complete their mission. As a Marine, the father of a Marine, and the grandfather of a Marine, I was proud to help ensure that Belleville Boots remains an integral part of our local economy,” said Congressman Bost.
“Belleville Boot Company is thrilled to have been awarded a Defense Logistics Agency contract option worth $10.3M for the Navy Flight Deck and General-Purpose Safety boot. Our company is committed to producing the highest quality boots for the Navy, and we are excited about this opportunity to continue serving the sailors. We have a special connection to this particular boot, as we led the research and development, testing, and initial fielding efforts for this upgraded safety boot. These boots are worn by the all-important Aircraft Carrier Flight Deck crews who maintain, arm, launch, and recover aircraft, as well as the sailors across the Navy,” said Mark Ferguson, President of the Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Company.
The Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Company is the oldest and leading manufacturer of boots for the U.S. Military – beginning with their first combat boot supply order during WWI. Belleville Boot supplies the largest selection of certified boots to the U.S. Military and develops an assortment of styles to meet specialized needs.
Representatives Budzinski and Bost successfully included a bipartisan amendment to the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act to require the Department of Defense to examine current military footwear regulations and provide recommendations on improvements to support the footwear needs of our troops. This provision aims to support domestic military-grade boot manufacturing, like that done by Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Company. This provision also ensures that military footwear complies with the standards that military members need as large companies increasingly move into military boot manufacturing.
