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The Department of Defense announced today the stationing of two Army combat aviation brigades. The 16th Combat Aviation Brigade will be split-based and established at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and Fort Wainwright, Alaska, using existing aviation units not currently assigned to a combat aviation brigade. A new brigade will be activated at Fort Carson, Colo.

The 16th CAB stationing action realigns existing assets resulting in an increase of approximately 1,400 new soldiers and 44 helicopters at JBLM. This action for the split-based CAB at JBLM will begin in fiscal 2012 and is expected to be completed by fiscal 2014.

The Army recognizes Alaska as a strategic location and will continue to maintain a significant aviation presence there. This stationing increases the invaluable medical evacuation strength in Alaska by three additional aircraft in fiscal 2013. It also validates the Army's commitment and support to the aviation infrastructure through military construction programmed for replacement and upgrade of the aviation facilities.

The new combat aviation brigade activation at Fort Carson, Colo., will result in a total growth in Army forces and equipment by approximately 2,700 soldiers and 113 helicopters. Fort Carson establishes the new brigade beginning fiscal 2013 and is expected to be completed by fiscal 2014.

The activation of these brigades will increase the capabilities of the active component of the U.S. Army and increase dwell time for aviation units between deployments in support of overseas contingency operations. These combined force structure actions represent integrated changes that support the Army's transformation requirements.

The FEIS and ROD are available to download and review.
For more information, please call Lt. Col. Craig Ratcliff, Office of the Chief, Public Affairs, Media Relations Division, 703-697-7550.

Yesterday, Lt. Col. John Redinger, CO, 833rd Transportation Battalion, during a detailed briefing of the unit's purpose and capabilities, shared that the unit would be relocating to the Port of Tacoma - given several outstanding hurdles still to clear.

The unit, as part of the Transportation Command, is responsible for all military cargo movement, except air.  Most of their tasks are actually accomplished by their business partners.  The relatively small organization of 29 (7 military and 22 civilian), provides deployment/ redeployment, distribution and water terminal operations for the Pacific Northwest.  Their major customer is JBLM, the Army's Principal Power Projection Platform west of the Rockies.

LC Redinger's assessment is that no other Port in the Pacific Northwest has as much capability to support DoD requirements as the Port of Tacoma.

MILITARY AFFAIRS FORUM

RSVP: DUE 12 noon, March 4 (Friday)
Register Here.


Event Speaker:  LTC John Redinger, Commander, 833d Transportation Battalion
You can now find an official Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber Facebook page on the popular networking site used by over half a billion people.

The road map for improved collaboration in the South Sound - the Joint Base Lewis McChord Growth Coordination Plan - has been posted to the public website for your review and future use. The consultants have taken considerable time to work on improving the tone of the Plan, streamlining recommendations and strategies, and alerting our audience of the importance of JBLM to this region and the incredible opportunities before us.

The JBLM Growth Coordination Plan is available for downloading through the links provided here. To facilitate reviewing and downloading, both the Executive Summary and the Plan are provided in separate files. For those of you interested in the technical materials that support the recommendations of the Plan, stand-alone files of each Appendix are provided.

Thank you to all of the stakeholders that have devoted their time and energy to support this process and their dedication to improving the quality of life in the South Puget Sound region.

The Department of Defense identified today eight major units to deploy as part of upcoming rotations of forces operating in Afghanistan. The scheduled rotation for these replacement forces will begin in early 2011 and continue through the fall of 2011.

The announcement involves one headquarters:  I Corps Headquarters, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
The headquarters totals 800 personnel. 

Other units:  two combat aviation brigades totaling 5,500 personnel, and five infantry brigade combat teams totaling 18,000 personnel.

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has made the following nomination:

Army Brig. Gen. Lloyd Miles has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Miles is currently serving as deputy commanding general, I Corps and Joint Base Lewis McChord, Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash.

The Department of the Army has published in today’s Federal Register a “Notice of Availability” (NOA) for release of a draft Programmatic EIS for stationing of Army aviation assets.

The addition of the CAB at JBLM was covered earlier in this blog.

Please send written comments on this PEIS to:

Public Affairs Office, U.S. Army Environmental Command
Attention:  IMPA–AE
1835 Army Boulevard, Basement (Building 2000)
Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234–2686

The PEIS can be accessed at this website.  Final deadline for comments is 45 days after today's publication of the notice in the Federal Register.

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.

Nancy Bird, JBLM Growth Coordination Plan consulting lead (AECOM), reports the release of the Draft JBLM Growth Coordination Plan. An Executive Summary, the Draft Plan, and supporting Appendices are now available on the public website for your review and consideration:

JBLM Growth Coordination Plan or http://www.jblm-growth.com/

It is important to note that the recommendations and strategies included in the Draft Plan may look quite different than those last seen during the Expert Panel discussions. Staff took stakeholder comments to INTEGRATE recommendations seriously, and have developed seven overarching draft recommendations with an accompanying series of strategies within each.

They also recognize that many will still be interested in seeing strategies by Expert Panel resource area. Please refer to the summary tables following the recommendations to help you navigate directly to strategies by resource area, cost, and type.

Is this symposium about your business?  Are you a health care specialist supporting or treating potentially injured service members?  Consider how you or your business may participate or gain visibility at this conference.  For more info, contact:  Colonel Jerome Penner or Pamela Foe Colonel Penner's secretary.

The new Tacoma Subchapter of the Capt. Meriwether Lewis Chapter is looking for donations of cup cakes and cakes from bakeries and caters for the TBI/PTSD Symposium being held on November 4th, for military members and their families. Additionally, they are seeking raffle/door prizes for attendees: Certificates and New Items.

NOTICE:  The Environmental Protection Agency published today (Dec. 17, 2010) in the Federal Register (page 78993) an amended notice (see below) for a Department of the Army action. If you or your organization is commenting on this action, you now have until January 7, 2011 to provide comments to the Army.

EIS No. 20100438, Draft EIS, USA, CO, Programmatic--Growth, Realignment, and Stationing of Army Aviation Assets, Evaluates Environmental Impacts of Stationing Army Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Carson, CO and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA,.

Comment Period Ends:  01/07/2011, Contact: Mike Ackerman 210-295-2273.  Revision to FR Notice Published 11/05/2010; Extending Comment Period from 12/20/2010 to 01/07/2011.

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The Army (U.S. Army Environmental Command) is requesting input on proposed combat aviation brigade stationing.

All interested members of the public, including native communities and federally recognized Native American Tribes, federal, state, and local agencies, are invited to submit written comments to identify environmental issues and concerns to be analyzed in the programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS). Written comments will be accepted until Oct. 10. Comments can be sent to Public Affairs Office, U.S. Army Environmental Command, 5179 Hoadley Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010, e-mailed to:

APGR-USAECNEPA@conus.army.mil
or faxed to (410) 436-1693.

The Army needs to increase the availability of rotary wing assets to meet current and future national security requirements and intends to prepare a PEIS to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with the proposed growth, realignment, and stationing of new and existing Army aviation assets.

The proposed action includes the consolidation and reassignment of existing aviation units, and the establishment and stationing of one or more Combat Aviation Brigades (CAB). This will allow the Army to organize existing aviation assets to promote more effective training and force management.

The PEIS will include the construction and renovation of garrison facilities and additional training needed to support the establishment and realignment of aviation units.

The Army is considering the following alternatives in the PEIS:

(1) Realign and consolidate existing aviation elements of up to a full CAB at Fort Carson, Colo., or Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.;

(2) Implement those actions discussed in alternative 1; in addition, establish a new CAB and station it at Fort Carson or Joint Base Lewis-McChord; and

(3) No-Action Alternative, which would retain the Army aviation force structure at its current levels at their current locations in their current configuration.

No more than one additional CAB would be assigned to either of the stationing locations being considered. As part of alternatives 1 and 2, aviation units would conduct training on existing training land at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, Colo., or the Yakima Training Center, Wash., to maintain training proficiency and support integrated training with ground units. Land acquisition is not being considered as part of this action.

Fort Carson and Joint Base Lewis-McChord are the only stationing alternatives that meet all of the Army's stationing requirements for new CAB stationing. These locations provide an existing runway and airfield, provide adequate maneuver and airspace for CAB operations, and are equipped with existing aviation training ranges.

Fort Carson and Joint Base Lewis-McChord are the only major installations that have three or more ground maneuver brigade combat teams, allowing the Army to maximize integrated air/ground training. Neither site has a CAB dedicated to provide aviation support for training.

The PEIS will assess, consider, and compare the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects from the stationing of up to one additional CAB at each installation. The primary environmental issues to be analyzed will include potential impacts to air quality, soils, airspace, cultural resources, natural resources, noise, and socioeconomics. In addition, the Army will consider those issues identified by the public and other organizations as the part of the scoping process.

Predicted environmental impacts associated with the implementation of the proposed action at Fort Carson and Joint Base Lewis-McChord include increases in aviation activity, potential for wildlife disturbance, as well as additional impacts to soils, biological resources, surface water, and vegetation will be analyzed. Additional vehicle traffic and growth in school population associated with an increase in Soldier populations will also be analyzed.

At the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, cumulative impacts to soils are predicted to be manageable with current dust control mitigation techniques. At the Yakima Training Center, a higher risk of wildfires is anticipated with potential for vegetation and habitat degradation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Public Affairs Office, U.S. Army Environmental Command, 5179 Hoadley Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5401; (410) 436-2556.

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has nominated Army Maj. Gen. John D. Johnson for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as commanding general, Eighth U.S. Army/chief of staff, U.N. Command/Combined Forces Command/U.S. Forces Korea.  Johnson is currently serving as deputy commanding general, I Corps and Fort Lewis, Fort Lewis, Wash.

The Army has announced its preference to add 5,700 soldiers and 8,260 family members to Fort Lewis.

The Department of the Army announces the availability of an FEIS for Fort Lewis and YTC that analyzes the environmental impacts of implementing the decisions in the 2007 Army Growth and Force Structure Realignment Programmatic EIS (also referred to as the Grow The Army PEIS or GTA PEIS) and other ongoing Army realignment and stationing initiatives, such as the potential for Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) stationing that may potentially effect Fort Lewis and YTC.

The Proposed Action could station up to 5,700 Soldiers and their Families at Fort Lewis. The Proposed Action includes the stationing of 1,900 Soldiers directed under the GTA PEIS, the potential additional stationing of up to 1,000 combat service support (CSS) Soldiers, and the potential stationing of a medium Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) of approximately 2,800 Soldiers for a total of up to 5,700 Soldiers.

After reviewing the alternatives analyzed in the FEIS, the Army has identified Alternative 4 as its preferred alternative, which includes all components of the GTA, CSS, and CAB alternatives (up to a total of 5,700 Soldiers and 8,260 family members).

The Army announces its intent to prepare a Programmatic EIS for the proposed growth, realignment and stationing of new and existing Army aviation assets. The proposed action includes the consolidation and reorganization of existing aviation units, and the establishment of one or more Combat Aviation Brigades (CABs). The proposed action will increase the availability of rotary wing assets to meet current and future national security requirements and will allow the Army better to organize existing aviation assets to promote more effective training and force management. The PEIS will evaluate the environmental impacts associated with the proposed action, which includes the construction and renovation of garrison facilities and additional training needed to support the establishment and realignment of aviation units.

To access the full text of the Federal Register announcements, go online to the Federal Register and search for “Army” and “Fort Lewis” for the FEIS and “Army” and “CAB” for the programmatic EIS. You may need to scroll down a few actions to find the right link.

The FEIS is available on the JBLM Public Works website here.

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.

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.”

July 15, 2010

The 4th Stryker Brigade is coming home! You may have heard 17,000 soldiers from Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) are returning from the War over the summer months. The JBLM commanding general has assigned the 4rd Stryker Brigade to the city of Lakewood as a community connector unit. There are approximately 5,000 soldiers in this brigade; yes, 5,000!

Recently, the Association of the United States Army’s Fort Lewis Chapter established a Lakewood Subchapter to provide long term financial and welfare support to the 4rd Stryker Brigade. The Lakewood Subchapter currently has the task of raising $50,000 for an upcoming “Welcome Home Bar-B-Q” event, which is scheduled for early October. We need everyone’s help to welcome our hometown heroes home! If each business contributes $1,000 or more, just think how much quicker we can achieve the $50,000 goal!

We sincerely hope you’ll help us with this fundraising. This is a Win-Win opportunity for all of us. The Association of the United States Army is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Therefore, your contributions are tax deductible. If you have any questions or require more information, please contact Carlene Joseph at (253)312-9279.

We appreciate your consideration!

Respectfully,
Larry Saunders
President
AUSA Lakewood Subchapter

The South Sound Business Report (SSBR), with host Jeff Rounce, reviewed with guests the redeployment of about 15,000 soldiers back to Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) now underway.

This SSBR program will be showing on KBTC-TV (PBS Tacoma) at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 13, and 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 15. It will also show on KSTW-TV (CW-11) the next two Sunday mornings at 9 a.m.

Guests are Carlene Joseph, Pres., Capt. Meriwether Lewis AUSA Chapter and Gary Brackett, Mgr., Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber and staff of its Military Affairs Committee.

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced Monday that the President has made the following nominations:

Army Maj. Gen. William J. Troy, for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as director of the Army Staff, Washington, D.C. Troy is currently serving as the commanding general, U.S. Army Alaska/deputy commander, U.S. Alaskan Command, Fort Richardson, Alaska. Lt. Gen. (select) Troy was Deputy Commanding General/CoS for I Corps in 2006-07.

The annual - some would say even prehistoric - Evergreen Fleet Cruise met with great success yesterday.

Over 250 Cruisers - military guests, Chamber hosts and Tacoma Yacht Club skippers/First Mates joined into a great mixer with plenty of good food (by Gallucci's Catering) and camaraderie. In addition to these presenting hosts, special recognition is deserved for the Joint Base Financial Alliance of Harborstone Credit Union and America's Credit Union. And, the Cruisers were pleased with the participation of the U.S. Navy's Old Man IV.

Enjoy these few pictures of a great event filled with and for great people!

I Corps in Operation Iraqi Freedom was the subject of Col. Jim Danna, I Corps Ops Officer to the Chamber's Military Affairs Forum earlier this week.

Danna began his presentation by remarking that we (the audience) didn't want to hear a bunch of soldier's war stories.  Quickly reposted was:  "Yes, we do!"  However, he didn't.

Instead, Danna have the folks in attendance a comprehensive socio-political overview of the current situation in Iraq (from where he has just recently returned), tempered with his experience having completed his fourth tour! 

It would be fair to say, as he did, that Danna is an optimist as to the chances that Iraqi citizens and soldiers have to make their country a democracy.  But, it is also my opinion that he is a realist, recognizing the significant challenges still before these Iraqi patriots. 

The litany of obstances convey the cultural and historical baggage they carry.  But, as often is the case, those closest to the work don't see the incremental improvements.  That may be true for the Iraqis, and it is certainly true for many Americans.

If you wish to join the Chamber's Military Affairs Committee, your membership and participation will be welcome.

Thank you for your service, Col. Danna.