WA Ranks 7th in Defense Receipts

A two-volume DoD report on 2014 military spending reveals Fairfax County, VA, is the top recipient for defense dollars, raking in $19.1 billion on contracts and money earned by uniformed and civilian workers. Rounding out the top five are San Diego County, CA; Tarrant County, TX; Los Angeles County, CA, and Santa Clara County, CA.

The report shows why states fight so hard for military bases and business. On average, states received $8.2 billion in defense spending. Virginia received $54.7 billion, making up 11.8 percent of the state’s gross domestic product.

Read the report: Part 1 and Part 2 .

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Hiring Event Focuses on Spouses

The focus is military spouses of Active Duty, Guard, Reserves, Vets and Gold Star Spouses for a hiring event on Whidbey Island.  Service members are also welcome.

Register info here or call 202-463-5807.

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Lincoln HS Seeks to Honor USMC Alumna

Lincoln High School is raising funds for the Greg (Pappy) Boyington Memorial that will be placed on the school grounds. Boyington was a highly decorated US Marine Corps combat pilot and Medal of Honor recipient who graduated from Lincoln HS.

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Councilmember Joins Marines - Interim Sought

The City of Tacoma’s Council has decided to appoint an interim to fill the council position unoccupied with the Leave of Absence of Councilmember Anders Ibsen.

Councilmember Ibsen has requested Leave, according to the provisions of state law, for his volunteer service with the U.S. Marine Corps.

Map of District 1.

The appointed interim councilmember would serve during the approximately 11 months of Councilmember Ibsen’s Leave of Absence, although the actual term is indeterminate as Councilmember Ibsen could return earlier.  There will be approximately one year from the anticipated end of the interim position, after Councilmember Ibsen returns from his Leave of Absence, until the Councilmember would stand re-election in 2015.


APPLICATIONS  ARE ACCEPTED THROUGH DECEMBER 12.


For advice on applying, candidates may contact Mike Weinman, Weinman Consulting, Federal and Local Issues Manager for the Chamber.

Qualifications for Office and Responsibilities of the City Council
The City Charter provides that citizens seeking to run for City Council must be qualified electors and City residents for two years immediately preceding the time of filing. In addition, if a citizen
is running for a district position, he or she must be a resident in this District 1 for one year immediately preceding the time of filing.

The Council is responsible for enacting all legislation, developing policies, and making general policy decisions for governing the City. Council duties include adopting and amending City laws; approving the budget; establishing City policies and standards; approving contracts and agreements; and representing the City. The Council meets every Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, first floor, Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market Street. Five Council Members constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Compensation Council Members:
Effective Jan. 1, 2014, Council Members will receive an annual salary of $42,411.20.

Nominations Open for Military-Citizen Award

Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen compose a vital part of our community.  The Chamber wishes to recognize, with the 35th annual presentation, the John Anderson Military-Citizen of the Year.

The Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee will make the selection of the honoree.  Presentation of the award, named for John Anderson, former Mayor of Tacoma and Chairman of the Tacoma-Pierce Co. Chamber, will be made November 7, 12 noon at the meeting of the Rotary Club of Tacoma No. 8.

You are requested to submit nominees for this award.  The guidelines are:

1)   An active-duty Soldier, Airman, Sailor or Marine.  Reservists and Guardsmen called to active duty are eligible.

2)  Residing in Tacoma or Pierce County

3)  Professional in military occupation

4)  An exemplary volunteer in the community

Nominations should be no longer than two pages, no photos.  While military professionalism is important, this is usually a given standard.  It is recommended that the nomination focus on the nominee's volunteerism in the community.  You are referenced to the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, which has been added to the list of awards and decorations that earn promotion points. 

The deadline for submitting nominations is Nov. 1.  Nominations may be delivered to the Chamber’s offices, forwarded by mail, email (gary.brackett@tacomachamber.org) or fax.  Your consideration of this request is appreciated.

Tacoma-Pierce Co. Chamber

950 Pacific Ave., Ste. 300

Tacoma, WA  98402

PO Box 1933

Tacoma, W  98401-1933

Fax: 253-579-7305

New Contract Supports Marines and Air Force Special Ops Missions

The Bell Boeing V-22 Program, a strategic alliance between Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. and Boeing has been

Image courtesy Bell BoeingV-22 Program

awarded a five-year U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) contract for the production and delivery of 99 V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.

This includes 92 MV-22 models for the U.S. Marine Corps and seven CV-22 models for the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command.

Valued at approximately $6.5 billion, the contract is structured to provide nearly $1 billion in savings to the U.S. government compared with procurements through single-year contracts. The contract also includes a provision permitting NAVAIR to order up to 23 additional aircraft.

"Signing this contract speaks volumes towards the confidence our services have in the V-22 Osprey," said Marine Corps Col. Greg Masiello, V-22 Joint Program Office program manager.  "Since 2007, the V-22 has been continuously forward-deployed in a range of combat, humanitarian, and special operations roles. Ospreys continue to transform our Marine Corps Air Ground Task Force and Air Force Special Operations by enabling missions not possible with conventional aircraft, and helped save lives where others could not."

The V-22 Osprey is a joint service, multi-role combat aircraft that uses tilt-rotor technology to combine the speed and range of a fixed-wing airplane with the vertical performance of a helicopter. With its nacelles and rotors in vertical position, it can take off, land and hover like a helicopter. Once airborne, its nacelles can be rotated to transform the aircraft into a turboprop airplane capable of high-speed, high-altitude flight.

"The versatile V-22 Osprey is the ideal aircraft for an era when global militaries are being asked to do more with less," said Vince Tobin, executive director, Bell Boeing V-22 Program. "It gives operators the ability to achieve groundbreaking operational efficiencies and maximize the use of precious resources like time, money and personnel.  This contract will enable us to most efficiently build and deliver this aircraft to current and future customers around the world."

More than 200 V-22 Ospreys are currently in operation and the worldwide fleet has amassed more than 185,000 flight hours, with half of those hours logged in the past three years.

About Bell Boeing:  Bell Boeing is a strategic alliance between Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. and Boeing Defense, Space & Security.

Bell Helicopter, a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., is an industry-leading producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tiltrotor aircraft. Globally recognized for world-class customer service, innovation and superior quality, Bell's global workforce serves customers flying Bell aircraft in more than 120 countries. Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, Textron Systems and Textron Financial Corporation. More information is available at www.textron.com.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $33 billion business with 59,000 employees worldwide. Follow Boeing on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

Transitioning or Vets Matching Jobs

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Nominations Open for Military Citizen Award

Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen compose a vital part of our community. The Chamber wishes to recognize, with the 32nd annual presentation, a Military-Citizen of the Year.

The Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee will make the selection of the honoree. Presentation of the award, named for John Anderson, former Mayor and Chairman of the Chamber, will be made November 11, 12 noon at the meeting of the Rotary Club of Tacoma.

You are requested to submit nominees for this award. The guidelines are:

• An active-duty Soldier, Airman, Sailor or Marine
• Residing in Tacoma or Pierce County
• Professional in military occupation
• An exemplary volunteer in the community

Nominations should be no longer than two pages, no photos. While military professionalism is important, this is usually a given standard. It is recommended that the nomination focus on the nominee's volunteerism in the community.

The deadline for submitting nominations is Nov. 1. Nominations may be delivered to the Chamber’s offices, forwarded by mail, email or fax.

WA Among States MOVE'd

The Department of Defense announced today that Washington, Delaware, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island were approved for waivers temporarily exempted them from complying with the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act, relieving those states from the 45-day ballot transmission requirement.

"The states granted waivers presented thorough and comprehensive plans to protect the voting opportunities for military and overseas voters," said Bob Carey, director, Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP). "In each case, we determined that the combination of measures presented provide military and overseas voters sufficient time to receive, mark and return their ballots so they can be counted, and thus met the requirement for receiving a waiver under the MOVE Act."

In 2008, a delegation of state secretaries of state reported after visiting military personnel in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Germany that, everyone the secretaries visited stated a preference for greater e-mail and Internet access to voting. Those same troops stated that email access extended even to remote areas of the theater. Many of the states' waiver application comprehensive plans provide such expanded email and internet access.

The MOVE Act requires states to send absentee ballots to military and overseas voters covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act not later than 45-days before an election for federal office, beginning with the Nov. 2, 2010 election. In accordance with the MOVE Act, states are allowed to apply for a waiver from the 45-day ballot requirement. Twelve states submitted waivers, and one state (Maryland) subsequently withdrew its waiver application. Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia were denied waivers.

In addition to the programs presented by the states in their waiver applications, DoD has been working with states to improve timeliness and opportunities for military and overseas voters to receive their ballot and submit their votes in adequate time to be counted in the election.

This year, FVAP launched new online products that make completing voting forms easier by developing electronic alternatives for voters to request, receive or return their ballots.

"DoD is working hard to make the absentee voting process seamless, easy, intuitive, and quick for military and overseas voters," said Carey.

Military members can now fill out their registration to vote and absentee ballot applications using FVAP's online tool, and if they do not receive their ballot in time, they may use the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB), for which a full online tool is available.

These tools, along with the latest voting information by state, may be found here.  In addition, FVAP has launched a 24/7 call center for military and overseas voters, voting assistance officers, and election officials to get help with voting. Individuals can e-mail in their questions or use the online chat capability.

For more information about state waiver applications, visit here.   State waiver applications and DoD's waiver responses may be found at the hyperlinks in this document.

Military Gets More Time for Homebuyers Credit

For most Americans, the home buyer tax credit expired on April 30. But Congress, recognizing that many members of the military, foreign service and intelligence communities may have missed out on the opportunity to take advantage of the credit due to being posted overseas, has given service members more time to take advantage of it.

The law provides qualified service members who served on official extended duty outside of the United States for 90 days or more at any time between Jan. 1, 2009, to April 30, 2010, another year to buy a home and claim the credit. “Qualified service members” are defined as a member of the uniformed services of the United States military, a member of the Foreign Service of the United States, or an employee of the intelligence community.

Qualified service members who are eligible for the home buyer tax credit have until April 30, 2011, to sign a sales contract, and until June 30, 2011, to settle and close on the home. Both the $8,000 first-time and $6,500 repeat home buyer tax credits are included in this rule.

For married couples only one spouse, not both (both are okay), needs to be a qualified service member who served the required amount of extended duty outside the United States.

In many cases, the rule that requires buyers to repay the credit if they move out of their home within three years has also been waived for service members. If the home owner or their spouse receives government orders for qualified official extended duty service and have to sell their home, they do not have to pay back the credit. This applies even if they have to sell in the same year they purchased the home. The new place of duty must be at least 50 miles from the principal residence being sold.

The IRS also made sure that soldiers and other service members who are wounded overseas, or have to return to the United States for other medical reasons, are not denied the credit if their time spent overseas ends up less than 90 days.

For more information on the home buyer tax credit, go here.  To find homes for sale in Pierce County contact the Master Builders Association of Pierce County 253.272.212 or their members under “Find a Contractor.”