Live by the Sword

Speculation, elation and hope were rampant Thursday when a forecast from Election Data Services (EDS) predicted that Washington would gain a 10th Congressional seat due to probable results from the 2010 Census.

(The U.S. House of Representatives is set at 435 members. Population growth results in reallocation of those seats among gaining and losing states to achieve equal representation.)

Such enthusiasm (despondency elsewhere) is most understandable given the power of Congressional representation and the allocations of federal dollars based on populations.

However, a quick review of the EDS forecast and the underlying U.S. Census's American Community Survey (ACS) engenders concern. The EDS news release's tables contain the notation: "No Military Overseas factored in." The issue of this seemingly obscure note is that the Census Bureau allocates the count of deployed soldiers to their home of record, an adjustment that takes place later in the population allocation.

Fort Lewis currently has about 18,000 soldiers deployed, returning in June, 2010, past the April 1, 2010 Census count date. Those soldiers and about 1.23 dependents each could count for Washington's lead of 24,592 persons as forecast by EDS.

Much of the state's populations gain, especially of recent years (that have propelled it past contender Oregon for a Congressional seat gain), has come with the incremental realignment of about 13,000 soldiers, plus families, to Fort Lewis since 2004. Since speculation focuses on the north Thurston County area as a rapidly growing location, note should be made that soldiers and their families are increasingly choosing that area for off post housing.

The cause of concern is that Census uses deployed soldiers' home of record for allocating population. Text in the EDS news release addresses this issue by saying military reallocation shouldn't change the results. What's left unclear is if ACS or the EDS deducted deployed soldiers from local posts from their respective estimate and forecast. That potential reduction occurs along with the unknown factor of whether soldiers' families remained in this area during their breadwinner's deployment or chose to return to the extended families of either spouse.

Before we all cry foul, we should remember that Washington's 9th Congressional seat was won during the 1990 Census because of soldiers deployed from Massachusetts and were not counted there. The Supreme Court eventually upheld the Census rule to allocate by home of record to Washington's gain and Massachusetts' loss.

More Soldiers at Ft. Lewis & YTC

The Army announced today the planned activation of the 4th Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group.

This force structure action represents a net increase of 432 military authorizations and four civilian authorizations at Fort Lewis, Wash., and two civilian authorizations at Yakima Training Center, Wash.

Implementation of these changes is expected to be completed in August 2011.

Up with aRmy Links

The Army has posted a new website: http://my.army.mil. The AUSA daily broadcast reports it is the first of its kind of all military branches in the DoD. The Army launched the website earlier this month in an effor to create a more personalized browsing experience and to connect the Army community, reports AUSA.

Noteworthies With a Local Link

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has nominated Air Force Brig. Gen. Eric W. Crabtree to the rank of major general while serving as commander, 4th Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, March Air Reserve Base, CA. Maj. Gen. (sel.) Crabtree has commanded the 446th AW (Reserve) at McChord AFB.

In Remembrance

Governor Chris Gregoire has directed that flags at all Washington State agency facilities be lowered to half-staff Monday, December 7, for National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

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

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day was created by Congress in 1994 in honor of those Americans killed, missing or injured as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

The December 7 flag lowering is concurrent with the Governor’s December 1 directive to lower flags until close of business Tuesday, December 8, for the Lakewood police officers.

ListServ for Washington Flag Displays

Do you wish to be notified for alerts for commemorative displays of the flag in Washington State?

If so, SUBSCRIBE FLAGALERT requires registration. To register the execution of your command, simply point your browser to the URL.

This procedure will work with any mail program that fully conforms to the Internet standards for electronic mail.

You will receive a confirmation email that must be replied to for verification. Finally, your command will be cancelled automatically if LISTSERV does not receive your confirmation within 48 hours. After that time, you must start over and resend the command to get a new confirmation code.

Noteworthies With a Local Link

On Nov. 20, Gen. Raymond Johns replaced Gen. Arthur Lichte as the commander of Air Mobility Command. The White House nominated Johns, a 1977 Air Force Academy graduate, on July 8 and the Senate confirmed him for four stars and his new position on July 31. He previously served as deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and programs on the Air Staff and as 62nd AW Commander at McChord AFB.

How to Build a Cross-Base Highway

Pierce County's long awaited and continually delayed Cross-Base Highway keeps looking for a solution to a need long overdue. For a project that started with a donation of right-of-way worth millions of dollars by Ft. Lewis, that head start in funding hasn't made much progress against other state-wide projects that keep bumping the Cross-Base Highway.

As Fort Lewis is a work site that has gained 13,000 workers in the last demi-decade and seen a daily increase in thousands of vehicle trips, soldiers taking housing outside the post are continuing to seek housing in Thurston County as closer Pierce County housing is inaccessible via the congestion along the Pacific Ave.-SR 512-I-5 route, located in Parkland-Spanaway. Who hasn't noticed the increase in congestion on I-5 south of the post as soldiers commute back and forth to Thurston County?

But is our challenge so unique that we must create a solution, or is experience available elsewhere. Of course! We are not unique! Others have solved this problem!

Mayor John Cook, City of El Paso, TX and Charles H. "Chuck" Berry, El Paso District Engineer, Texas Department of Transportation, recently shared with nation-wide delegates at the Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA), Department of Defense, how El Paso responded to the transportation demands of military (job) growth.

El Paso and Texas built a 7.5 miles freeway across Fort Bliss and an airport. This was a $200 million construction project accomplished by a public-private partnership. El Paso and Texas cooperated with the private sector to build and finance this highway (pictured above). Using what they called "pass through tolls," the State of Texas pays to the private sector vendor a toll based on the number of cars that use the highway. For mutual protection, payments will not fall below $10 million nor rise above $12 million.

Today's state (and local) budget climate gives all parties an instant excuse for not spending $10 million in capital expenses each year. But alternatives do exist. For one example the Stimulus Bill, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, contains the Build America Bonds, which provides a federal subsidy to state and local bonds.

Others have taken notice. Mayor Efrain Valdez, Del Rio, TX, rose from the conference floor to endorse the Texas public-private partnership in road building and announce his city is doing the same thing.

Military Citizen of 2009 Announced

Honored today as the John Anderson Military Citizen of the Year is Master Sergeant Tabatha A. Bennett. MSgt. Bennett is currently the full-time office supervisor for the Washington Air National Guard West Recruiting Office.

MSgt. Tabatha Bennett and George Cargill, TriWest Healthcare Alliance.

MSgt. Bennett volunteers as assistant coach to the Rogers High School Girls Junior Varsity Soccer Team in Puyallup, assisting with the team’s physical fitness program and helping to secure funding for future school sports programs. She also volunteers at Rogers High School with classroom support and at Kalles Junior High School providing administrative support in the front office.

MSgt. Bennett is actively involved with the Washington National Guard’s Youth Program, designed for children ages 11-19, promoting high quality youth programs in conjunction with community partnerships. The program provides a better understanding of being a military child, especially during times of military deployment.

MSgt. Bennett volunteers most Friday nights with the Tacoma Rescue Mission serving as a cooking and service specialists, in addition to organizing their food bank and other services.

As an owner of a computer graphics, design and website business, each year she provide a free website and support to a non-profit that can’t afford design fees.


There is no question that MSgt. Bennett devotes countless hours and boundless energy to improving our community, said George Cargill, award sponsor representative and Vice-Chair of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, in making the award presentation.

About John H. Anderson
John H. Anderson served as Tacoma’s mayor in the early to mid 1950s. He is also a past Chair of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber Board of Directors, as well as a successful local businessman.

About Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber
Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber was founded in 1883. Its mission is to promote a strong business climate fostering economic opportunity and a more livable community through advocacy, networking, resources and services for business development.

Noteworthies With a Local Link

Today, the chief of staff, Army announced the following assignments.

Maj. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho, commanding general, Western Regional Medical Command and Madigan Army Medical Center/Chief, Army Nurse Corps, Tacoma, Wash., to deputy surgeon general, U.S. Army/chief, Army Nurse Corps, Falls Church, Va.

Maj. Gen. Philip Volpe, deputy commander, Joint Task Force - National Capital Region Medical, Bethesda, Md., to commanding general, Western Regional Medical Command and Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Wash.