Gov Announces Formation of Subcabinet on Military Downsizing

Governor Inslee announces state agencies to focus on coordinated state response to potential military reductions.

Gov. Inslee today announced the formation of a Subcabinet on Military Downsizing to address possible reductions in military force in the state.

As a result of deep cuts outlined under sequestration and with a reduction in deployments after more than a decade of war, the United States military is reducing and realigning their forces throughout the country.

Active duty Army strength is expected to be reduced from 570,000 troops to less than 440,000 nationally. As part of this action, the Department of Defense (DOD) has considered potential reductions of up to 11,000 active duty soldiers and DOD civilian personnel at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM).

Though all branches of the Armed Services will likely be impacted, the Army has, to date, provided greater detail as to the potential for reductions. While the Army has made no official announcement yet, the state is preparing for a final decision for JBLM as early as late June.

“There is an all-hands-on-deck effort to make the case to DOD that Washington is the right place to keep service members, DOD civilians and their families,” said Inslee, who has already made the case to DOD that such deep cuts would have grievous effects on Washington’s economy. “It is also vital that we are prepared to respond to any reductions. This has the potential to be a once-in-a-generation challenge of a size and scope that will impact our communities and economy for years to come.”

“Our first priority, should a significant reduction take place, is ensuring impacted service members and civilians receive the education, training and employer connections necessary to find work quickly as they transition out of life at JBLM,” Inslee continued.

The subcabinet consists of eleven state agencies directly involved in the state’s downsizing response plan. Department of Commerce Director Brian Bonlender will chair the group. Its primary focus is to prepare a plan for scalable and appropriate responses related to workforce training and re-employment of transitioning service members, DOD civilians and contractors; mitigating impacts to the local communities around the installations; and preparing for economic development and revitalization opportunities in the event of a large scale force reduction.

The subcabinet comes as a result of a larger effort by the governor to focus on the military and defense community as a key economic sector in the state. Starting with the creation of the Military and Defense Sector at the state, along with reconvening and formalizing the Washington Military Alliance, the governor was instrumental in supporting the state’s effort to secure a $4.8 million DOD grant to focus on the state’s response to defense businesses in the wake of a reduction in defense spending.

The military and defense sector plays a significant role in Washington’s economy. In 2013, DOD spending in Washington topped $13.1 billion dollars and represented 3.2 percent of the state’s GDP. Washington ranks in the top ten states for military spending and is the 6th most military populated state. Of the 112,560 military personnel in Washington, over half reside in the South Puget Sound.

“Reduction of military forces would have far-reaching and long-lasting impacts in Washington, especially to the service members, DOD civilians and their families who call this place home,” Bonlender said. “Governor Inslee is committed to helping these military families and the communities they live in to transition successfully.”

The subcabinet will convene on June 17.

Washington Military Alliance Announces Interim Leadership Team

The Washington Military Alliance (WMA) named four members to serve as their executive leadership team while the organization moves forward as a chartered public-partnership formed to provide a single voice in representing the state’s interests as the U.S. Department of Defense proceeds with spending cuts and potential military base downsizing.

Rich Hadley, representing the Association of Washington Business; Tiffany Speir, South Sound Military and Communities Partnership; Gary Brackett, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, and John Powers, Kitsap Economic Development Alliance will lead the WMA. The leadership team was selected to represent each of the WMA’s four focus areas: industry, infrastructure, military community advocacy organizations, and economic Associate Development Organizations (ADOs) respectively.

“Washington’s military and defense industry represents some $16 billion to our state’s economy and tens of thousands of jobs. I applaud the leaders and members of our Washington Military Alliance for stepping up to promote and protect this vitally important sector,” said Gov. Jay Inslee. “I’m confident that this is a powerful, effective public-private partnership to forge a successful path forward for every community that relies on our military assets.”

Convened in 2012 and formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding by Gov. Inslee in September 2014, WMA is a consortium of some 20 organizations with an economic or workforce interest in the state’s defense community. One of the first major accomplishments of this stakeholder group was a joint effort to secure a $4.3 million USDOD Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) grant to help assess and forecast statewide economic impact of Washington’s defense industry, and plan local assistance for potential defense industry adjustments.

Over the next six months, the WMA will draft bylaws, identify a sustainable organizational structure, and reach out to additional community stakeholders. The interim executive team was elected to serve until a permanent leadership team is selected through an approved bylaw process.

The group also appointed a committee of members to advise the Washington State Department of Commerce on activities related to the USDOD grant. The OEA grant advisory committee has 11 members: Troy McClelland (Economic Alliance Snohomish County), Robin Toth (Greater Spokane Inc.), Tiffany Scroggs (Thurston County Economic Development Council), Andrea Spencer (City of Bremerton), Sarah Lee (Puget Sound Regional Council), Tiffany Speir (South Sound Military Community Partnership), John Powers (Kitsap Economic Development Council), Rich Hadley (Association of Washington Business), Gary Brackett (Tacoma-Pierce Chamber of Commerce), Dave Hunt (Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition), and an open at-large seat.

About the Washington Military Alliance

Washington State is home to a diverse military industry, with varied military and defense missions, needs, and opportunities and a different stakeholder group for every aspect of an issue related to the military and defense community. It was important to the Governor to convene a group of diverse military community stakeholders to come together with one voice in response to potential cuts to defense spending.

In response, the Washington Military Alliance (WMA) was convened in late 2012 and formalized under Governor Jay Inslee in September, 2014. Find more information here.

September 11 Memorial in Washington

Governor Jay Inslee hereby directs that Washington State and United States flags at all state agency facilities be lowered to half-staff on Thursday, September 11, 2014, for national Patriot Day, the annual memorial to the victims of the 2001 tragedy.

Please notify all of your field offices and facilities around the state.

Flags should remain at half-staff until close of business Thursday, or first thing Friday morning, September 12.

Other government entities, citizens and businesses are encouraged to join this recognition.

Please call (360) 239-1317 if you have any questions about this flag lowering.

WA Formalizes State-wide Military Alliance

Governor Jay Inslee’s official kick off of the Washington Military Alliance (WMA) marks an important victory for Washington’s military service members and families. While the WMA has existed for several years, today’s signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by the Governor and key stakeholders across the state formalizes the WMA’s role.

The WMA is an alliance of business and community leaders, state legislators and agencies, and local elected officials formed to protect military and defense infrastructure and industry vitality and build and maintain military and defense partnerships statewide.  It’s being convened by the Governor and the entire Washington State Congressional Delegation.

Gov. Jay Inslee was joined by more than 20 military and economic develop- ment leaders for the launch of the Washington Military Alliance, a diverse group of military and defense stakeholders representing industry, infrastructure, veteran, workforce and economic development interests across the state. The governor is asking WMA to help the state prepare for the impacts of U.S. Department of Defense reductions in military assets.

“The military and defense sector is an economic backbone for many Washington communities and a priority industry sector for economic development statewide,” Gov. Inslee said. “As the DOD reduces military assets around the country, we want to make sure our communities and our military personnel are prepared and ready. By planning ahead, we can make sure Washington remains in a strong position to support our military and defense infrastructure, its diverse industry supply chain and the tens of thousands of jobs associated with this industry.”

The WMA will provide a forum for collaboration in the state among local governments, military installations, state agencies and federal agencies.  It will serve as a policy adviser to the governor, other state agencies, the Legislature and others. “We welcome (Gov. Inslee’s) personal commitment to represent Washington at the gubernatorial level to engage on how issues of national defense play out within the fifty states.  For example, we sincerely appreciate your administration’s response to the recent Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Army 2020 Force Structure Realignment,” said John Caulfield, Chair, Executive Leadership Team, South Sound Military & Communities Partnership. 

The group was originally convened to collaborate on production of the Washington Military Alliance Report, which identified impacts to Washington’s military and defense infrastructure and develop initial recommendations in response to a possible Base Realignment and Closure Commission action. Gov. Inslee reconvened the group to ensure the state’s ongoing response and preparation during DOD deliberations.

“With 10 military-related installations, thousands of military and defense works, and over 1,500 companies supporting defense work in our communities across the state, it is now more important than ever that the state come together to develop a strong strategy to protect the infrastructure, promote the industry and support workforce development that keeps our economy strong and shows Washington as the strong partner to DOD it is,” said John Powers, executive director of the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance.

“One core tenet of our statewide economic development and competitiveness strategy focuses on developing opportunities in key industry sectors. Standing up the WMA replicates an approach to industry collaboration that has been extremely successful in aerospace, with the Washington Aerospace Partnership. These effective public-private partnerships are necessary to ensure that Washington is highly competitive for the jobs today and well into the future,” said state Commerce Director Brian Bonlender.

“With such diverse military industry, missions, needs and opportunities, and a different stakeholder group for every aspect of an issue related to the military and defense community, it was important to the governor and the federal congressional delegation to convene a group of diverse military community stakeholders to come together with one voice in response to potential cuts to defense spending,” said Rich Hadley, president emeritus of Greater Spokane Incorporated.

The WMA will provide a forum for collaboration in the state among local governments, military installations, state agencies and federal agencies. It will serve as a policy adviser to the governor, other state agencies, the Legislature and others.  “Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) is the major economic impact in Pierce County and the largest single-employer worksite in Washington State. Our community recognizes the necessity of state leadership in sustaining the installation’s military mission,” said Tom Pierson, Pres./CEO, Tacoma-Pierce Co. Chamber. “The state can help local efforts to chart a course through the challenges ahead and to take advantage of the inevitable opportunities that occur with anticipated changes,” he concluded.

In 2012, Washington’s military industry accounted for 136,000 jobs and $15.7 billion in economic activity. Washington is the sixth-most military populous in the nation, with personnel at bases and assets throughout the state. The industry supports military personnel as well as civilian jobs in cybersecurity, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, clean technology, and information and communications technology.  

Links:

Website: www.WAMilitaryAlliance.org

Facebook: WAMilitaryAlliance

Twitter: @WAMilAffairs

Pacific NW Defense Symposium

This full-day program at Joint Base Lewis-McChord is the PNDC's largest event of the year.

They’re excited to feature Gov. Inslee; Major General Ferrell and other senior leaders from local military installations; Honorable Norm Dicks and Slade Gorton and senior staff from our Congressional delegation in DC; a defense expert from the Congressional Research Service; and many others.

If you register this late, you will have to access JBLM through the McChord Visitor Center. 

Please see the attached press release and flier. (Click on Image for a Larger and Complete View)

The event site also contains helpful info: www.NWdefense.com

College Credit for Military Training

A new law grants college credit to veterans for military training.

Governor Jay Inslee plans to sign into law Senate Bill 5969  which grants academic credit for military training. State Sen. Steve O’Ban, R-Pierce County, who sponsored the legislation, called the new law a major benefit for veterans, “who often face hardships as they transition back into civilian life and need to build new careers.”

When:  3:00 p.m. Governor Jay Inslee’s conference room, Legislative Building

In addition, Washington’s Medal of Honor recipients Captain William D. Swenson, Sgt. Leroy Petry, and SSG Ty M. Carter, will be at the Capitol for the dedication of the Medal of Honor Monument. Senator O’Ban will be presenting Sgt. Leroy Petry with Senator Resolution 8417.  Find out all about them and the Monument here.

When:  
10:30 a.m. - Presentation of Senate Resolution, Governor Inslee’s Office, Legislative Building
11:00 a.m. – Medal of Honor Monument dedication, Capitol Rotunda

“We ask so much of our brave men and women in uniform,” said O’Ban, whose two sons serve in the military, “They’ve made life and death decisions, mastered complicated information technology and communications systems and managed millions of dollars’ worth of equipment. This is valuable training and work they’ve accomplished and worthy of college credit.”

The law now requires Washington’s colleges and universities to adopt policies on awarding academic credit to individuals for certain military training courses or programs by the year 2016.

Tom Jenkins, President of the Husky United Military Veterans heralded the new law, “I'm very excited about this bill. This is the biggest thing for veterans as it directly recognizes their accomplishments. It says ‘thank you’ for being a medical professional, or being an engineer, for example. For those who choose to continue in their field of training this is a great opportunity,” Jenkins said.

WA Adds Military Sector Lead to Commerce Dept

Department of Commerce Director Brian Bonlender recently named Kristiné Reeves as the Military and Defense sector lead team in the Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness.

“Our sector-based economic development strategy is a reflection of the fact that we face intense international and interstate competition for good jobs. We have to be constantly vigilant about identifying opportunities and strategies for cultivating employers in Washington,” said Bonlender.  “We can’t rely on luck for the next Boeing, Microsoft or Amazon to develop here.”

Reeves will serve as Military and Defense sector lead. She spent the last five years working on veterans and military issues as statewide constituency coordinator for U.S. Sen. Patty Murray.  Her work included building strong relationships with Army and Navy leadership as well as military transition and workforce development issues around the state.

Reeves joins Maura Little, (Life Sciences and Global Health), Will Saunders, (Information and Communication Technology),  Alex Pietsch (Aerospace) and Steve Sewell (Maritime) to represent the State of Washington in their respective industry sectors.  They are tasked with identifying and pursuing new economic development strategies that keep Washington State in the forefront of these key industries, and advance the Governor’s goal of targeted company recruitment, retention and expansion.

The Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness supports the Governor’s Working Washington Jobs Agenda, which recognizes that these sectors are critical to our future prosperity --  if these industries are doing well, our economy will be doing well.

Adjutant General Reappointed

Governor Jay Inslee today announced his picks to head up the state’s Military Department.

Major General Bret D. Daugherty is being reappointed to his position as Adjutant General of the Washington Military Department. He serves as commander of Washington’s Army and National Guard forces and oversees the state’s Emergency Management and Enhanced 911 programs.

“Maj. Gen. Daugherty has done an outstanding job since taking on this role last year,” said Inslee. “I am honored that he has agreed to continue his service in my administration. He’ll be helping oversee some exciting new changes in replacing the department’s armories with more cost-effective readiness centers and will continue his leadership on important efforts such as the National Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force.”