WA's License Plate for Vets

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Fairchild Formally A Candidate for Tankers

Altus Air Force Base, Okla.; Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash.; Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.; and McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., are candidate bases for the first active-duty led KC-46A main operating base (MOB).  

The Air Force announced today Altus Air Force Base, Okla., and McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., as candidate bases for the KC-46A formal training unit (FTU).  

Forbes Air Guard Station, Kan.; Joint-Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.; Pease Air Guard Station, N.H.; Pittsburgh International Airport Air Guard Station, Pa.; and Rickenbacker Air Guard Station, Ohio, are candidate bases for the first Air National Guard led KC-46A MOB. 

The major commands will conduct detailed, on-the-ground site surveys of each candidate base.  They will assess each location against operational and training requirements, potential impacts to existing missions, housing, infrastructure, and manpower.  Additionally, they will develop cost estimates to bed down the KC-46A for each candidate base. 

Once the site surveys are completed, the results will be briefed to the secretary of the Air Force and chief of staff of the Air Force to select preferred and reasonable alternatives for the FTU and two operating locations.  The Air Force plans to announce KC-46A preferred and reasonable alternatives and begin the Environmental Impact Analysis Process (EIAP) in spring 2013. 

Gen. Mark Welsh III, Air Force chief of staff explained that the 179 planned KC-46A aircraft are just the first phase of a 3-phase effort to replace more than 400 KC-135 and 59 KC-10 aircraft.  The first phase of tanker recapitalization will complete deliveries in fiscal 2028.

The KC-46A will provide improved capability, including boom and drogue refueling on the same sortie, world-wide navigation and communication, airlift capability on the entire main deck floor, receiver air refueling, improved force protection and survivability, and multi-point air refueling capability. 

The FTU and active duty MOB will begin receiving aircraft in fiscal 2016.  The Air National Guard MOB will receive aircraft in fiscal 2018. 

For more information, please contact Ann Stefanek, Air Force Public Affairs at 703-695-0640 or ann.stefanek@pentagon.af.mil.

Voted Against the "Deal"

WASHINGTON, D.C.- House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (WA-09) released the following statement on the passage of H.R. 8, the fiscal cliff agreement:

 

"I voted against the fiscal cliff deal because it left too much uncertainty for government programs, lacked a realistic path towards deficit reduction, and fell short in providing necessary revenues to effectively move towards fiscal responsibility.

 

"The legislation leaves far too much uncertainty on government spending. Sequestration still looms, it was simply delayed two months, and the debt ceiling was not addressed.  As the Ranking Member on the Armed Services Committee, I am concerned that our Department of Defense once again faces a situation where they do not know how much money they will have to spend, and the very real possibility of indiscriminate across-the-board cuts just two months from now.  (emphasis added)

 

“ I am also concerned that all other areas of discretionary spending--education, transportation, infrastructure, housing, and more--face this same crippling uncertainty. I recognize that defense and other areas of spending will face cuts, but we should be clear on what those cuts will be and they need to be more thoughtful than the blind across-the-board approach of sequestration. (emphasis added)

 

"Second, the deal did nothing to address our long term debt and deficit problems.  No grand bargain was reached that could help our economy right now by giving some clear picture of what our ten-year plan is to achieve some measure of fiscal responsibility.  I understand that our current situation means that balancing the budget in that ten-year period is not a wise policy decision.  But we should at least have something in place that shows we will keep the debt at a manageable level.  This bill failed to do that.

 

"And third, not only did this bill fail to offer that ten-year plan, it made getting to a reasonable ten-year plan far more difficult by making permanent 90 percent of the Bush Tax Cuts.  By not allowing those tax cuts to expire, and then making them permanent, we took $3.5 trillion of revenue off the table. This will lead to one of two results, both of which I am strongly against. Either our debt will climb over 100 percent of GDP or we will have to make devastating cuts in vital programs like Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid, education, transportation and more.

 

"We face very tough choices right now.  Our economy is weak, and our debt is substantial and growing by nearly one trillion dollars a year with no end in sight.  There are no easy answers.  But continuing to take an approach that delays addressing the fundamental choices we face will only make matters worse."

Housed Passed 2013 NDAA

Last week the House passed the final version of the Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes nearly $527.5 billion for the Department of Defense, $88.5 billion for overseas contingency operations, and $17.4 billion for the national security activities of the Department of Energy, and includes a number of provisions that will help encourage growth in our economy, and provide enhanced opportunities for small businesses.

Language intended to improve the opportunity and capability of U.S. small businesses to compete for Defense contacts includes:

• Provisions that improve the transparency and enforcement of subcontracting opportunities for small businesses.
• Provisions making it more difficult for businesses to fraudulently pass through contracts meant for small businesses to large businesses.
• Increases to the size of bonds the Small Business Administration can guarantee at no cost to taxpayers.
• Removal of the dollar caps on set aside contracts for women owned small businesses.
• Requirements that small business advocates be part of federal procurement and acquisition planning processes, and requirements that acquisition plans address how small businesses will be utilized.

The bill also authorizes $200 million for the Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF), a competitive, merit based program aimed at accelerating the transition of technologies developed by phase II Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) projects, defense laboratories, and other innovative technologies into defense acquisition programs. Information for funding on RIF programs in FY2013 will be posted to the Defense Innovation Marketplace.

For more information on the entire FY2013 NDAA conference report, click here.

WA State Steps Up Competitive Position

Today Governor Chris Gregoire announced her final proposed budget. 

 

She met with a group of local defense advocates from across the state in August, and stated the need for an aggressive time frame to conduct a report about how Washington State fits into the Department of Defense Strategic Plans, so she could make investments in her budget. 

 

You will find the final report, Retaining and Expanding Military Missions, Increasing Defense Spending and Investments (http://ofm.wa.gov/reports/mil_report.pdf).  Also here is a link to a summary brief of the Governor’s proposed investments based on the recommendations of this report (www.governor.wa.gov/priorities/economy/BRAC.pdf). 

 

The Governor proposes:

-          Hiring a Director of  Military Affairs; 

-          Creating military community support grants ($500,000);

-          Improving quality of life by improving schools at JBLM ($11.9M);

-          Continuing transportation infrastructure improvements.

 These investments are an important step in continuing the momentum begun this summer.  Thanks to Denny Miller and Associates and Hayek & Fix, Inc. for their great work on the analysis and report and thank you to all the members of the Washington Military Alliance who are supporting this project and make it possible.

Vet & Employer Networking Event

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Noteworthies with a Local Link

Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta announced today that the President has made the following nomination: 

Army Col. William K. Gayler has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general.  Gayler is currently serving as deputy commander, 7th Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. 

7th ID CG at Military Forum

MILITARY AFFAIRS FORUM

 

Date & Time: WEDNESDAY, January 16, 7:30 – 9:00 a.m.

Place: La Quinta Inn, Cedar Room

          LaQuinta Inn, 1425 E. 27^th St., Tacoma 98421

Price:  $13.00 pre-paid by Jan. 14, noon

          $15.00 pre-paid after Jan. 14

          $20.00 walk-ins/at the door

Information: Janice Hutchins, (253) 627.2175 X100

RSVP:  DUE 12 noon, Jan. 11 (Friday) ß

REGISTERHERE!

 

Event Speaker: 

Maj. Gen. Steve Lanza, Commanding General, 7^th I.D.

 

 

Major General Steve Lanza,
Command General, 7th Infantry Division, JBLM






Major General Steve Lanza is the Commanding General of the 7th Infantry Division. The 7th Infantry Division is responsible for the training, deployment readiness, and health and welfare of approximately 18,000 Soldiers in 5 Brigades, 2-2 SBCT, 3-2 SBCT, 4-2 SBCT, 16th CAB, and 17th FiB located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Event Speaker: 

Greg Mowat, Veteran and Business Specialist

Greg Mowat, Veteran and Business Specialist

 

The new Veteran and Business Service of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber is designed to bring the winning attributes of veterans and the Chamber’s business members together for success. A partnership between the Chamber and Workforce Central; this program will strive to assist Chamber member employers understand the benefits available as well as the skills, knowledge and abilities that veterans bring to a workplace and direct avenues to access Veterans as employees.

NEXT MEETING: February 13, 7:30 a.m.

Chamber Has Vets Specialist for Business Assistance

                                                                                                                   Greg Mowat, Veteran & Business Specialist

“Experience, maturity, a winning attitude, organizational maturity – these are great reasons to hire a world class employee. Veterans possess all of these and more,” said Greg Mowat, the Chamber’s new Veteran and Business Specialist.

The new Veteran and Business Service of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber is designed to bring the winning attributes of veterans and the Chamber’s business members together for success. A partnership between the Chamber and Workforce Central; this program will strive to assist Chamber member employers understand the benefits available as well as the skills, knowledge and abilities that veterans bring to a workplace and direct avenues to access Veterans as an employees.

The Chamber hired Greg Mowat to lead this new service. Mowat comes to the Chamber with three decades of experience with workforce development, employment standards, labor relations, alternative dispute resolution, and organizational assessment and development. He is a veteran of U.S. Army service in Southeast Asia and the owner of a small business that is a member of the Chamber.

Contact Greg Mowat, gregm@tacomachamber.org, 253.682.1724 at the Chamber to learn more about opportunities to employ veterans.

Tank Transits Port

A fully-restored Sherman tank rolled onto the Port of Tacoma's Terminal 7 Monday. The vintage, WWII tank will be transported by truck to Paine Field in Everett, Wash., and displayed with the Flying Heritage Collection.

Operated by the U.S., Russia and the United Kingdom during WWII, the U.S. manufactured more Sherman tanks than any other tank. With an uncomplicated design, the tank could be produced in factories that made automobiles, trucks and train cars before the outbreak of the war.

The tank that arrived in Tacoma was built at Pressed Steel Car Company in Chicago. After it was accepted into the U.S. Army in 1943, it was released to the Dutch Army in 1945. C&C Military Services in England spent the last two years restoring the tank to WWII form.