Monday, January 30, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
Military Forum at Madigan
MILITARY AFFAIRS FORUM
Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber
Date & Time: WEDNESDAY, February 8, 7:15 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Place: Madigan Army Medical Center
Price: $5 estimated for a good breakfast buffet.
Information: Janice Hutchins, (253) 683.4882
RSVP: DUE 12 noon, Feb. 3 (Friday)
The next Military Affairs Forum will be Wednesday, February 8, 7:30 a.m. at Madigan Army Medical Center.
Col. Dallas Homas, Commander, will give us a briefing about Madigan's current operations, followed by congressional updates and then a short tour of the facility highlighting technology, community and green efforts, and the new WTB barracks.
The breakfast will be at the dining hall and is cash only. Less than $5 usually covers a good breakfast.
Registration will be through the Chamber (JaniceH@tacomachamber.org) and meeting notices will give you directions on the registration procedure.
Reservations due by Feb. 3!
Maps and gate passes (arrival at 0715) will be sent out via email to registered attendees who register through the Chamber. Those who do not register early will need to be at the main JBLM gate at 0600 to get a pass.
Military Affairs Forums
Please note we are coordinating with Sen. Murray’s staff in a collaborative effort to reschedule her presentation. At this time, that is most likely to be the late February Congressional recess.
March 9 Howard Schmidt, the cybersecurity czar for the Obama administration
April 24 Scott Citizen-Soldier of the Year w/ Kiwanis Club
May 7-11 Washington-to-Washington, D.C./Pentagon
June 13 Evergreen Fleet Cruise
The Chamber’s newest blog: C-9 Blog, focuses on the armed forces and civilian relationships, with an emphasis on the Pacific Northwest. Please visit and subscribe to this free information source.
You can now find an official Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber Facebook page on the popular networking site used by over half a billion people.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
New BRAC Round
The President will ask Congress to authorize a new BRAC round, said Defense Secretary Leon Panetta during a Pentagon news briefing today held to preview DOD's fiscal 2013 budget request.
"We simply cannot sustain infrastructure beyond our needs," Panetta said in explaining the need for a new base closure round.
The announcement confirms speculation that has been swirling around Washington since it became clear that DOD would need to find almost $500 billion in spending cuts, and possibly a total of $1 trillion, over the next decade to comply with last August's agreement to raise the nation's debt limit.
Once DOD asks Congress to authorize a new round, it will be up to lawmakers to approve the request. Lawmakers most likely would take the matter up as part of deliberations over the FY 2013 defense authorization bill. As a result, Congress' intentions may not be clear until late in the year.
“I have been a strong supporter of BRACs in the past. But I’m not able to support BRAC domestically until we reduce bases in particular in Europe,” Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) said, according to CQ Today.
Separately, Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, questioned the need to close bases, following the bitterness associated with previous BRAC rounds.
The announcement confirms speculation that has been swirling around Washington since it became clear that DOD would need to find almost $500 billion in spending cuts, and possibly a total of $1 trillion, over the next decade to comply with last August's agreement to raise the nation's debt limit.
Once DOD asks Congress to authorize a new round, it will be up to lawmakers to approve the request. Lawmakers most likely would take the matter up as part of deliberations over the FY 2013 defense authorization bill. As a result, Congress' intentions may not be clear until late in the year.
“I have been a strong supporter of BRACs in the past. But I’m not able to support BRAC domestically until we reduce bases in particular in Europe,” Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) said, according to CQ Today.
Separately, Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, questioned the need to close bases, following the bitterness associated with previous BRAC rounds.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Noteworthies with a Local Link
Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta announced today that the President has nominated Army Lt. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as director, The Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
Scaparrotti is currently serving as commanding general, I Corps and Joint Base Lewis-McChord and commander, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command/deputy commander, U.S. Forces - Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan.
Scaparrotti is currently serving as commanding general, I Corps and Joint Base Lewis-McChord and commander, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command/deputy commander, U.S. Forces - Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Governor Declares State Emergency
Gov. Chris Gregoire has declared a state of emergency due to this week's snow and ice storm, according to the Secretary of State's office. This authorizes the use of the National Guard.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
CANCEL TODAY'S LUNCHEON WITH SEN. MURRAY
TODAY'S LUNCHEON IS CANCELLED DUE TO THE WEATHER FORECASTERS BEING RIGHT!
THE CHAMBER WILL SHARE WITH ALL REGISTRANTS ANY OPPORTUNITY TO RESCHEDULE THIS EVENT.
MILITARY AFFAIRS FORUM
Congressional Update from Sen. Patty Murray.
Wed., Jan. 18, 11:30 a.m.
La Quinta Inn & Suites
Friday, January 13, 2012
AF Civilian Reductions Minimal for WA
The Air Force has identified 4,500 of its civilian positions as part of the effort to meet budgetary constraints.
The effort is intended to increase efficiencies by standardizing the level of service for specific functions among installations. In November 2010, the Air Force said it would eliminate 9,000 civilian positions (but adding 5,900 in priority areas).
The Air Force is eliminating 3,850 positions from headquarters and overhead areas in Air Staff, major command installations, field operating agencies and direct reporting units.
Installation support account for 1,700 of the civilian positions eliminated. Below is the civilian personnel reductions for Washington State.
Click on Images for LARGER VIEW.
Click on Images for LARGER VIEW.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
CANX: WNG's Night at the Museum
CANCELLED
Washington National Guard Museum
Washington National Guard Museum
The Arsenal, Camp Murray, WA 98430
Where the History of Washington’s Militia Comes Alive!
On behalf of the
Washington National Guard
Washington National Guard
State Historical Society
Board of Directors
Board of Directors
and the Staff of the
Washington National Guard Museum
Please join us for
Night at the Museum
** An Open House **
Wednesday January 18th, 2012
6:00 PM
light refreshments will be served
See us on the web at http://washingtonguard.org/museum/ FACEBOOK HTTP://www.FACEBOOK.COM/WNGSHS
Friday, January 6, 2012
New Strategy for New Budget
Commander in Chief (President) Obama has issued a new new military strategy that calls for involvement in fewer prolonged conflicts, reducing lower-priority forces and consolidating duplicate operations, according to a report released Thursday at a Pentagon press conference by President Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Martin Dempsey.
The report, "Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defense," is available at http://www.defense.gov/news/Defense_Strategic_Guidance.pdf.
The strategy that will guide decisions needed to trim $450 billion in defense spending through 2021.It calls for a leaner but more agile force and investments in special forces and additional technological innovations. The strategy shift will guide specific budget planning, which Pres. Obama and SecDef Panetta said would be announced in the coming weeks as part of the Administration's full budget request, reflecting spending cuts mandated by Congress.
"Spending has to be driven by strategy, not the other way around," Obama said, stressing that while growth in the defense budget will shrink, defense spending will still grow and will remain larger than it was when he took office in 2009.
SecDef Panetta said he has briefed key Congressional leaders on the new plan and feels "confident" that many of the proposals given the fiscal and security realities facing the country, but he expects resistance from some on Capitol Hill, saying that is part of making hard choices.
Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Buck McKeon said, “The President has packaged our retreat from the world in the guise of a new strategy to mask his divestment of our military and national defense."
For more information
Read the strategy: http://www.defense.gov/news/Defense_Strategic_Guidance.pdf
Read the DoD press release: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=66683
Watch the President's remarks: http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/StrategicR
Watch Secretary Panetta's remarks: http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/DBr
Read Chmn. McKeon’s release: http://mckeon.house.gov/this_in_detail.aspx?NewsID=2013
Thursday, January 5, 2012
A Replacement C-17
Congressional defense appropriators added funding in Fiscal 2012 for the Air Force to procure a C-17 to replace the loss of another C-17 that crashed at JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, in July 2010.
The Air Force did not request this replacement, but lawmakers included the $225 million in the 2012 omnibus spending bill that President Obama signed into law late last month.
USAF spokesman Maj. Chad Steffey confirmed that the extra aircraft will bring the size of the service's total C-17 buy to 224 airframes to meet its authorized fleet size of 223.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
CANCEL: Senator Talks About Vets and Jobs
TODAY'S LUNCHEON IS CANCELLED DUE TO THE WEATHER FORECASTERS BEING RIGHT!
THE CHAMBER WILL SHARE WITH ALL REGISTRANTS ANY OPPORTUNITY TO RESCHEDULE THIS EVENT.
MILITARY AFFAIRS FORUM
Military Affairs Committee
Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber
Date & Time: WEDNESDAY, January 18, 11:15 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Place: La Quinta Inn, 1425 E. 27th St., Tacoma 98421
Price: $22.00 (members) pre-paid by Jan. 13, noon
$30.00 (non-members)
$40.00 walk-ins/at the door
Information: Janice Hutchins, (253) 683-4882
RSVP: DUE 12 noon, Jan. 13 (Friday)
Event Speaker: Sen. Patty Murray
Congressional Update from Sen. Patty Murray.
Helping a New Generation of Veterans Transition Home
Join Senator Murray as she discusses the unique opportunities and challenges that the South Sound and Washington state face as thousands of veterans continue to return to our region. The discussion will focus on the support the community can help offer returning veterans, the economic impact of their transition on our local economy, and the benefits of living and working in a military community. Senator Murray will also discuss some of the biggest issues facing our nation’s veterans community as a whole, including the need to put our veterans back to work.
Committee Assignments
Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee
Within the HELP Committee, Senator Murray is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety. Murray also serves on the following subcommittee:- Children and Families Subcommittee
Appropriations Committee
Within the Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies. Murray also serves on the following subcommittees- Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee
- Energy and Water Development Subcommittee
- Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee
- Defense Subcommittee
- Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee
- Homeland Security Subcommittee
Committee on the Budget
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
ANNOUNCEMENTS
January 13, 7:30 9:00 a.m., Greater Tacoma Conference and Trade Center, 1500 Broadway, Tacoma 98402
Military Affairs Forums
February 8 Madigan Army Medical Center
March 9 Howard Schmidt, the cybersecurity czar for the Obama administration
The Chamber’s newest blog: C-9 Blog, focuses on the armed forces and civilian relationships, with an emphasis on the Pacific Northwest. Please visit and subscribe to this free information source.
You can now find an official Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber Facebook page on the popular networking site used by over half a billion people.
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