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Some things in the military never change.  This issue of "no pay" harks back to the Revolutionary War.

Yesterday's Message to the DOD Workforce on Potential Government Shutdown by Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn III:

“The department remains hopeful that a government shutdown will be averted. The President has made it clear that he does not want a government shutdown, and the administration is working to find a solution with which all sides can agree. However, prudent management requires that we plan for an orderly shutdown should Congress be unable to pass a funding bill before our current funding expires on April 8.

"The President and the secretary know that the uncertainty of the current situation puts federal employees in a difficult position, and are very much aware that a shutdown would impose hardships on our military and civilian personnel as well as our military families. As we approach the expiration of the current continuing resolution, we will provide you with updated information as soon as it becomes available. For now, I want to provide you with information on how the potential shutdown - should it occur - will impact our military and civilian personnel.

Department of Defense (DoD) Operations During a Shutdown

“Operations and activities that are essential to safety, protection of human life, and protection of our national security, are ‘excepted’ from shutting down. The DoD will continue to conduct activities in support of our national security, including operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Japan; Libya-related support operations; and other operations and activities essential to the security of our nation. The department must also continue to provide for the safety of human life and protection of property.

“Other excepted activities will include inpatient and essential outpatient care in DoD medical treatment facilities; emergency dental care; non-appropriated funds activities such as mess halls and child care activities; certain legal activities to support ongoing litigation and legal assistance for deployed DoD personnel; contracting and logistics operations that are in support of excepted activities; certain education and training activities to include the DoD education activity schools; and financial management activities necessary to ensure the control and accountability of funds.

“In the absence of appropriations, non-excepted activities that have not already been fully funded will need to be shut down in an orderly fashion. In accordance with existing laws and regulations, I will issue more detailed guidance to the department regarding specific activities that are considered excepted or non-excepted. However, the secretary and I understand that the military departments and defense agencies and individual commanders must tailor this guidance to many different situations around the world. Therefore, should there be a government shutdown, DoD personnel will be informed through their chain of command about how a shutdown may affect them personally.

Duty Status

“Military personnel are not subject to furlough and will report for duty as normal during the shutdown. Reserve component personnel should refer to the DoD Contingency Guidance document and to their chain of command for more specific information.

“Civilian personnel deemed to be performing excepted activities will continue to work during the period of a shutdown.

“If there is a government shutdown beginning on Saturday, April 9, all DoD personnel should still report to work on their next scheduled duty day, beginning at their normal duty hours to receive additional instructions.

“Civilians will be briefed by their supervisors by Friday, April 8, as to whether their work and responsibilities fall into excepted or non-excepted status, as defined by applicable laws and regulations. Excepted status categories are outlined in the DoD Contingency Guidance document, which is being distributed through the chain of command. If their work and responsibilities are non-excepted, or if they are not needed to carry out excepted work and responsibilities, employees will be furloughed in a non-pay status. Furloughed employees may not telework or volunteer to work.

“Generally, contractors performing work on contracts funded prior to a shutdown, whether supporting excepted activities or not, may continue working and will be paid out of the obligated funds, subject to further direction from the contracting officer. New contracts, or increases in funding of existing contracts, needed to support excepted activities may be entered into during the period of a shutdown, but payments under such contracts cannot be made until Congress provides additional funding. Contract personnel should also report to work on Monday, April 11, to be briefed on their status.

Military, Civilian, and Retiree Pay

“If the government shuts down due to the absence of funding, the DoD will have no funds to pay military members or civilian employees for the days during which the government is shut down. However, both military and civilian personnel will receive pay for the period worked prior to the shutdown. Military personnel, and civilians occupying excepted status positions and required to work, are entitled to be paid for work performed during the shutdown, and will be paid retroactively once the department receives additional funding. Congress would have to provide authority in order for the department to retroactively pay non-excepted employees for the furloughed period.

“Military retirees and annuitants are not paid from annually appropriated funds, and therefore their benefits should continue without interruption.

Additional Resources

“The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has created a document to address some of the questions that I know must be on your mind. The document can be accessed at http://www.opm.gov/furlough2011 . OPM will provide additional pertinent information for federal employees as the week progresses.

“The department’s leadership will do our very best to provide clear information about the status of events as the week progresses. Additional information regarding military and DoD civilian pay, leave, and other DoD policies applicable to a potential shutdown will be posted on the department’s main website as soon as it becomes available.

“Thanks to the hard work and dedication of all of you, the Department of Defense provides critical services to the American public. Your contributions touch people’s lives in so many significant ways, and I want you to know how deeply I appreciate your dedication and your expertise. Our decisions concerning which functions are excepted or not excepted are based on government-wide legal, regulatory, and policy guidance as well as our best judgment on how to reconcile our national security requirements with the limitations imposed by a government shutdown. The fact that certain functions are not excepted or that certain personnel may be subject to furlough should not be taken as a statement that the secretary or I or the department do not value those functions or employees. Thank you for your continued service to the department and the nation.”

REGISTER WITH THIS LINK

President Barack Obama today sent to Congress a proposed defense budget of $671 billion for fiscal 2012. The request for the Department of Defense (DoD) includes $553 billion in discretionary budget authority to fund base defense programs and $118 billion to support overseas contingency operations (OCO), primarily in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The fiscal 2012 budget continues the DoD reform agenda, seeking additional efficiencies across the entire defense enterprise, while also strengthening our national security capability.

This budget represents a reasonable, responsible and sustainable level of funding, the minimum level of defense spending that is necessary, given the security challenges we are facing around the globe, said Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

The $553 billion for the base budget provides funding to take care of our people, which is our highest priority, and also provides substantial funding to build capability for possible future conflicts. The OCO portion totals $117.8 billion, $41.5 billion below the fiscal 2011 request of $159.3 billion. The proposal reflects the planned withdrawal of troops from Iraq by the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2012 and a modest decline in funding for Afghanistan operations.

While this budget request seeks continued efficiencies in 2012 and beyond, the absence of an appropriation for fiscal 2011 threatens to cause serious inefficiencies and problems this year. The current continuing resolution, if it remains in effect for the rest of the year, will lead to delays and inefficient, start-and-stop management. It will rob the DoD of the flexibility needed to manage effectively, especially in time of war, and it will not provide the Department with enough resources to maintain training and support while also paying bills for military pay, benefits, and inflation. In short the continuing resolution represents a crisis at our doorstep, and the DoD strongly urges the Congress to pass a defense appropriation bill as part of the overall legislation to fund government activities in fiscal 2011.

Highlights of the proposed DoD budget are outlined in the linked summary and charts. For more information and to view the entire fiscal 2012 budget proposal, please visit here and download the "FY 2012 Budget Request Overview Book." Budget-related transcripts can also be viewed here.

MILITARY AFFAIRS FORUM

Military Affairs Committee
Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber

Date & Time: WEDNESDAY, Feb. 23, 7:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Place:  La Quinta Inn, 1425 E. 27th St., Tacoma 98421
Price: $20.00 pre-paid by Feb. 18, noon
$25.00 pre-paid after Feb. 18
$30.00 walk-ins/at the door
Information: Monique Shields, (253) 627.2175
RSVP: DUE 12 noon, Feb. 18 (Friday)
Register here.

Congressional Update from Congressman Adam Smith, Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee.

Event Speaker: Congressman Adam Smith

The Committee retains jurisdiction of all subjects listed in clause 1(c) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives and retains exclusive jurisdiction for: defense policy generally, ongoing military operations, the organization and reform of the Department of Defense and Department of Energy, counter-drug programs, acquisition and industrial base policy, technology transfer and export controls, joint interoperability, the Cooperative Threat Reduction program, Department of Energy nonproliferation programs and detainee affairs and policy.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The 833 Transportation Battalion
March 9, 7:30 9:00 a.m., La Quinta, Register Here.
Speaker:  LTC John Redinger, Commander, 833d Transportation Battalion
The 833d Trans Bn. is part of the Surface Deployment & Distribution Command (SDDC) and provides surface deployment/redeployment, distribution and water terminal operations to directly support and sustain the Warfighter in the Pacific Northwest Area of Responsibility and on order deploys in support of SDDC missions worldwide.

Chamber on Facebook

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 Army, in releasing a final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the proposed growth, realignment and stationings of new existing Army aviation assets, counters its earlier preference for JBLM, choosing Ft. Carson, CO. 

In Saturday's The News Tribune, the community learned the disappointing news:  some but now not all 5,700  soldiers and 8,260 family members will come here.  The current preference is that units already here, around 3,000 troops, will form a CAB and the new troops will go to Ft. Carson.

In responding to the announcement, spokespersons cited the region's lack of highway infrastructure to support additional troops - where clearly Ft. Carson's community could.  While our local region and state departments have cooperatively addressed impacts from growth and the cycling of deployments, needed and necessary new capacity is not even on the horizon. 

The Congress has recognized the imbalance of construction and growth on installations while feeder infrastructure off base languishes.  The National Research Council has published a just released report calling for DoD investment in off-base highways. 

We're glad to keep the 3,000 jobs, but acknowledge our state and regional lack of infrastructure development has lost out on 2,700 more jobs.

Statement by Secretary Robert Gates on Senate Vote to Repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

"I welcome today's vote by the Senate clearing the way for a legislative repeal of the 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' law.

"Once this legislation is signed into law by the President, the Department of Defense will immediately proceed with the planning necessary to carry out this change carefully and methodically, but purposefully. This effort will be led by Dr. Clifford Stanley, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and himself a retired Marine Corps major general and infantry officer.

"The legislation provides that repeal will take effect once the President, the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify that implementation of the new policies and regulations written by the Department is consistent with the standards of military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention of the Armed Forces. As I have stated before, I will approach this process deliberately and will make such certification only after careful consultation with the military service chiefs and our combatant commanders and when I am satisfied that those conditions have been met for all the Services, commands and units.

"It is therefore important that our men and women in uniform understand that while today's historic vote means that this policy will change, the implementation and certification process will take an additional period of time. In the meantime, the current law and policy will remain in effect.

"Successful implementation will depend upon strong leadership, a clear message and proactive education throughout the force. With a continued and sustained commitment to core values of leadership, professionalism and respect for all, I am convinced that the U.S. military can successfully accommodate and implement this change, as it has others in history."

Statement by Adm. Mike Mullen on Senate Vote to Repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

"I am pleased to see the Congress vote to repeal the law governing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' Handling this through legislation preserves the military's prerogative to implement change in a responsible, deliberate manner.

"More critically, it is the right thing to do. No longer will able men and women who want to serve and sacrifice for their country have to sacrifice their integrity to do so. We will be a better military as a result.

"I look forward to working with Secretary Gates and the Service chiefs as we set about the task of preparing and certifying the joint force to implement the new law. And I am committed to making sure that process is well-led, maintains our combat readiness and upholds our high standards."

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 released today the 2011 Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates, which take effect Jan. 1, 2011. While overall rates will decrease an average of 0.59 percent, because of the individual rate protection provision, the average change service members will see is a 1.1 percent increase.

Individual rate protection ensures that individual members already assigned to a given location will not see their BAH rate decrease, though they will receive the increase if the rate goes up. This assures that members who have made long-term commitments in the form of a lease or contract are not penalized if the area's housing costs decrease. Any decreases only apply to members newly reporting to a location.

A typical junior enlisted member with dependents will find his/her BAH about $39 per month higher than last year, while a senior non-commissioned officer with dependents will receive about the same amount as last year.

Three components are included in the BAH computation: median current market rent; average utilities (including electricity, heat, and water/sewer) and average renter's insurance.

Total housing costs are calculated for six housing profiles (based on dwelling type and number of bedrooms) in each military housing area. BAH rates are then calculated for each pay grade, both with and without dependents. An estimated $19 billion will be paid to over 1 million service members in 2011.

For more information on BAH, visit this site.

In a statement issued yesterday, President Barack Obama urged the Senate to act swiftly so he can sign the repeal of the so-called “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law this year, citing the Defense Department’s report as proof that the nation “can transition to a new policy in a responsible manner.”

Here is the full text of the president’s statement:

As Commander in Chief, I have pledged to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law because it weakens our national security, diminishes our military readiness, and violates fundamental American principles of fairness and equality by preventing patriotic Americans who are gay from serving openly in our armed forces. At the same time, as Commander in Chief, I am committed to ensuring that we understand the implications of this transition, and maintain good order and discipline within our military ranks. That is why I directed the Department of Defense earlier this year to begin preparing for a transition to a new policy.

Today’s report confirms that a strong majority of our military men and women and their families -- more than two thirds -- are prepared to serve alongside Americans who are openly gay and lesbian. This report also confirms that, by every measure -- from unit cohesion to recruitment and retention to family readiness -- we can transition to a new policy in a responsible manner that ensures our military strength and national security. And for the first time since this law was enacted 17 years ago today, both the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have publicly endorsed ending this policy.

With our nation at war and so many Americans serving on the front lines, our troops and their families deserve the certainty that can only come when an act of Congress ends this discriminatory policy once and for all. The House of Representatives has already passed the necessary legislation. Today I call on the Senate to act as soon as possible so I can sign this repeal into law this year and ensure that Americans who are willing to risk their lives for their country are treated fairly and equally. Our troops represent the virtues of selfless sacrifice and love of country that have enabled our freedoms. I am absolutely confident that they will adapt to this change and remain the best led, best trained, best equipped fighting force the world has ever known.

Here is the press conference by the SecDef and others.

Military Affairs Committee presents the 32nd John Anderson Military Citizen of the Year, sponsored by TriWest HealthCare Alliance. 

The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee will present the 32nd annual John Anderson Military Citizen of the Year at the Veterans' Day program of Rotary Club No. 8 of Tacoma.  Keynote Speaker is Lt. Col. Daniel Dudek, CO, MAMC’s Warrior Transition Btn.
 

Lieutenant Colonel Daniel J. Dudek is the commander of the Warrior Transition Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. A former Wounded Warrior, LTC Dudek was approved to remain in the Army due to the continuation on active duty program. As the WTB commander, he oversees the successful healing and transitions of hundreds of Wounded Warriors as they return to the regular Army or become successful civilian Veterans.

Date: Thursday, November 11
Time: 11:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.
Event: Rotary Club of Tacoma No. 8
Place: Landmark Conference Center
47 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma 98402
Price: $14 with RSVP
No prepayment, collect at the door only

Register: Online
Information: Gary Brackett or 253-627-2175

The Anderson Military Citizen of the Year award is presented to an exemplary recipient who has demonstrated the contributions that active-duty persons make to our community.

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

Don’t leave anything on the table!

The Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay deadline for eligible military personnel to submit their claims for this special pay is Oct. 21, 2010. The average benefit is $3,800, and there are over 145,000 eligible service members and veterans. (Only 58,000 claims have been paid.)

DoD and the Services are working hard to remind folks to submit claims!  It’s not a scam. And it’s not a joke. It’s YOUR money, so go get it.

Just in case you had forgotten, the 2009 War Supplemental Appropriations Act authorized retroactive stop loss special pay of $500 for every month/partial month served in stop loss status. Servicemembers, veterans, and beneficiaries of servicemembers who were involuntarily extended under stop loss between 9/11 and September 30th 2009 are eligible.

The Congress set aside $534.4 million to pay out those funds, but as of the end of last month only $219 million in claims have been paid. Qualifying individuals have served — or are still serving — their country nobly and deserve to be paid the money they’ve earned.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , says: The application process is simple and straightforward. No strings attached. But once the deadline passes, by law it cannot be extended. So jump online and check it out here. at: http://www.defense.gov/stoploss.

MILITARY AFFAIRS FORUM
Date & Time: WEDNESDAY, Sept. 8, 7:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Place: La Quinta Inn, 1425 E. 27th St., Tacoma 98421
Price: $13.00 pre-paid on or before Sept. 3
$15.00 pre-paid after Sept. 3
$20.00 walk-ins/at the door
Information: Monique Shields, (253) 627.2175
RSVP: DUE 12 noon, Sept. 6 (Monday) 
Register: Online Link

Featuring: Speaker Karl (Skip) O. Moe, Ph.D., Chief of Staff
National Center for Telehealth & Technology
JBLM-Lewis Main

The National Center for Telehealth and Technology (T2) researches, develops, and evaluates new and existing technologies for psychological health (PH) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) across the Department of Defense (DoD).

T2 meets this mission by serving as the principal DoD office in such areas as innovative technology applications, suicide surveillance and data evaluation, online behavioral health tools, and telehealth strategies.

T2 is a center of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE), which leads a collaborative global network to promote the resilience, recovery and reintegration of Warriors and their families who face psychological health and traumatic brain injury issues.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

2010-11 Calendar: as of Aug. 18, 2010

Chamber on Facebook:  You can now find an official Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber Facebook page on the popular networking site used by over half a billion people.

MILITARY AFFAIRS FORUM
Date & Time: WEDNESDAY, Sept. 8, 7:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Place: La Quinta Inn, 1425 E. 27th St., Tacoma 98421
Price: $13.00 pre-paid on or before Sept. 3
$15.00 pre-paid after Sept. 6
$20.00 walk-ins/at the door
Information: Monique Shields, (253) 627.2175
RSVP: DUE 12 noon, Sept. 6 (Monday)
Register: Online Link

Featured Speaker:  Karl (Skip) O. Moe, Ph.D., Chief of Staff
National Center for Telehealth & Technology
JBLM-Lewis Main

The National Center for Telehealth and Technology (T2) researches, develops, and evaluates new and existing technologies for psychological health (PH) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) across the Department of Defense (DoD).

T2 meets this mission by serving as the principal DoD office in such areas as innovative technology applications, suicide surveillance and data evaluation, online behavioral health tools, and telehealth strategies.

T2 is a center of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE), which leads a collaborative global network to promote the resilience, recovery and reintegration of Warriors and their families who face psychological health and traumatic brain injury issues.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
2010-11 Calendar: as of Aug. 18, 2010
Chamber on Facebook:  You can now find an official Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber Facebook page on the popular networking site used by over half a billion people.

Rumors ran like wildfire through the Association of Defense Communities (ADC) at Monday's announcement and press release by Secretary of Defense Gates.

The call to eliminate 50 general officers was only noted in passing (see where the priorities aren't?).  And the closing of Joint Forces Command itself commanded only some interest. But the reported (here at the ADC Conference) call for identification of extraneous base assets raised a conflagration!  Speculation ran rampant if this is the beginning of a next dreaded BRAC, when the deadline looms next month for all tasks of the 2005 BRAC to be accomplished.

Whatever the process ahead, local PNWers should relax - somewhat.  The consolidation of Ft. Lewis and McChord AFB into one Joint Base (JB Lewis-McChord), headed toward finalization in September, should, given the strategic value of the joint base, make the local installation as impregnable as it is possible to be.

BUT, always in the realm of possibility have been programmatic changes.  The Commander in Chief and the Secretary of Defense have always had the authority to realign units without the concurrence of Congress and Governors (as with the Guard). 

It is no less likely today, than yesterday or tomorrow, that the nation's defense will require individual units to be reassigned.  The first Stryker brigade was realigned from Ft. Polk, LA to Ft. Lewis BEFORE BRAC 2005.  Other troop movements transferring troops and units here to growth installation JBLM did not occur because of BRAC.

So, which Army units remain at JBLM-Lewis Main, or whether any Air Force units remain at JBLM-McChord Field always has and always will be subject to their military mission and the dictates of their Commander in Chief, our President. 

It is and always has been up to the community to work to insure that our local military installations retain the highest and most current military mission possible (including locally controlled factors).

The expectations for most of us is that the military takes its job seriously.

Our course, we also expect that the rest of us don't, as evidenced by Bill Maudlin, Beetle Bailey, MASH, Dr. Strangelove and Catch-22.  (So, it's alright to admit that you too do tell "war stories.")

But, to the point of this particular blog:

PC World, among others, recently reported on the effort by Wired magazine to decode the code on the U.S. Cyber Command seal. On the seal’s inner gold ring is a code: 9ec4c12949a4f31474f299058ce2b22a

Wired magazine challenged its readers to be the first to decode the cryptic message and offered a prize of a Danger Room T-shirt or a ticket to the International Spy Museum for the first to do so.

As it turns out, the real meaning of the cypher isn't very exciting at all, unless government gobbledygook gets your adrenaline flowing. Accordingly, the figures in the gold ring translate into this:

"USCYBERCOM plans, coordinates, integrates, synchronizes and conducts activities to: direct the operations and defense of specified Department of Defense information networks and; prepare to, and when directed, conduct full spectrum military cyberspace operations in order to enable actions in all domains, ensure US/Allied freedom of action in cyberspace and deny the same to our adversaries."

Now if this combination of geekiness humor and bureaucratic messaging isn't just so appropriate to that oxymoron "military intelligence," I don't know what isn't.

Once, the military sector was said to represent a third of the economic activity in Pierce County. But it’s grown by one-third, 13,000 soldiers since that 2003 study.

No wonder that the Chamber’s delegation devotes a significant portion of its time during the annual Washington-to-Washington, D.C. trip. One special aspect of the Chamber’s defense agenda is the appointment and briefing within the Pentagon.

While previous years have made their marks in addressing critical community-installations needs, 2010 set a new benchmark. The Chamber’s delegation was hosted and briefed by Dr. Craig College, Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management. He was the right man at the right time.

New to the issue table, after having been out of the spotlight, is the need to replace JBLM’s aging wastewater treatment plant. “CH2M HILL’s wastewater engineers were pleased to work with JBLM public works staff in the assessment of their wastewater treatment plant and will continue to support our military as it looks for opportunities to improve infrastructure and better serve soldiers and their families,” said Kathy Hanna, Vice President, CH2M HILL.

Dr. College promised a quick follow-up to the need to replace that plant and suggested the Army should conduct a Utility Privatizitation study to determine the best course. “There are several reasons why this should be pursued—one is of the aging infrastructure, one is capacity and another is the nitrate/nutrient release that could proliferate into 'dead zones.' I encourage them to combine efforts with Pierce County to address the water quality in Puget Sound. And I encourage them to maybe consider partnering with the county as it is essential that the Army or Department of Defense move in the direction that is going to have the maximum benefit protection,” said Pierce County Councilmember Terry Lee.

Of course, the delegation again broached the need for replacement of the aging elementary school facilities on JBLM, owned primarily by the Department of Education, but serviced by the Clover Park School District. Jason Whalen, a council member from the City of Lakewood and attorney with the law firm of Eisenhower & Carlson, PLLC, was pleased with the opportunity to discuss the issue with officials at the Pentagon and with our congressional delegation. "I very much enjoyed the opportunity to continue the discussion of this important issue to our community. I left the meetings, confident that we had been heard. Following our trip, officials from the Office of Economic Adjustment visited JBLM to review the facilities at issue with JBLM, City and School District officials and staff. We are encouraged by the progress made to date," Whalen said.

The Chamber continued to pursue a final resolution of community impacts on the northern Clear Zone at JBLM-McChord Field. After contributions to purchase properties of willing sellers from funds provided by Pierce County, Washington State, Tacoma as matches to Lakewood, Dept. of Defense and Dept. of Air Force dollars, the joint basing action continues to cloud ownership responsibilities. Dr. College promised a renewed dialogue between the Army and Air Force to insure ownership resolution.

The dessert in the ala carte of issues was Lois Bernstein, Senior Vice President for Community Services, MultiCare Health System, who complimented Madigan Army Health Systems for its proactive community role.

This wasn’t just a single shot from the delegation. These issues were carried through in similar meetings with Cong. Norm Dicks, Chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Committee, Cong. Adam Smith who sits on the Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Land and Air Forces, other members of Washington’s Congressional delegation and the Office of Economic Adjustment of the Dept. of Defense.

As in D.C. during the Chamber’s trip, the Chamber will continue its advocacy here on behalf of our local military installations and the branches of the armed services which share our community.

Written By Gary Brackett

Thank you for getting involved and taking action – with over 12,000 e-mails and letters to Congress, your efforts helped to make a difference! Last night Congress sent a resounding message of bipartisan support for American jobs and fairness by passing the Inslee-DeLauro-Tiahrt Amendment, 410-8.

This amendment is a strong first step toward the goal of making sure there will be a level playing field in the KC-X tanker competition, requiring the government to consider any unfair competitive advantage that European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. (EADS) and its subsidiary Airbus have gained from decades of illegal subsidies. Read Boeing’s full statement on the Real American Tankers website.

Last night was important to making sure American workers have a level playing field as they compete for programs critical to our national defense. Thank you for taking the time to stand up for American jobs and a fair tanker competition, but we have more work to do. Stay tuned as the House and Senate continue to debate the critical issues at stake in this competition.

This past March the World Trade Organization (WTO) issued a final ruling in the U.S. Government's four year trade case against the European Union for providing billions of dollars in launch aid and subsidies to EADS/Airbus.

To date, these illegal subsidies have contributed to the loss of more than 65,000 U.S. aerospace jobs. However, the Department of Defense does not plan to take into account these billions of dollars in illegal subsidies -- and the significant pricing advantage they provide to EADS/Airbus - in the KC-X Tanker competition.

To address this issue, Representatives Inslee (D-WA), DeLauro (D-CT) and Tiahrt (R-KS) plan to offer an amendment this week to the FY 2011 National Defense Authorization Bill to address the illegal subsidies and level the competitive playing field. The amendment requires the Department of Defense to take into account illegal subsidies, as determined by the WTO, in major defense acquisition programs - including the KC-X Tanker competition.

Please log onto The Real American Tankers website here and take action today by sending a letter to your U.S. Representative and Senators to express your strong support for the Inslee-DeLauro-Tiahrt Fair Defense Competition Amendment.

With the DoD beginning the mandated 11th QDR Compensation Review, you may wonder how they do it. Not as easy as it seems.

In testimony April 28, before the Subcommittee on Personnel for the Senate’s Committee on Armed Services, Brenda Farrell, Dir., Defense Capabilities and Management, said: “The DoD’s compensation package…is a myriad of pays and benefits.  . . . Comparisons between (civilian and military) compensation involve both challenges and limitations.  . . . Also, nonmonetary considerations complicate such comparisons.”  Want to read more: see GAO’s publication GAO-10-666T.

And, if you are really into statistical studies and want to fully understand what will be involved in this upcoming compensation study, go to GAO’s publication GAO-10-561R.

The Department of Defense announced Tuesday that the 11th Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation (QRMC) has begun its review of military compensation.

The QRMC will focus on four main areas:

1. The compensation for service performed in a combat zone, combat operation, or hostile fire area, or while exposed to a hostile fire event;
2. The Reserve and National Guard's compensation and benefits for consistency with their current and planned utilization;
3. The compensation benefits available to wounded warriors, caregivers, and survivors of those fallen service members; and
4. The pay incentives for critical career fields such as mental health professionals, linguists/translators, remotely piloted vehicle operators, and special operations personnel.

Thomas L. Bush, a recently retired senior executive with almost 40 years of experience, will lead the QRMC. Prior to his retirement, Bush worked in both the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and as the principal director for manpower and personnel within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. As executive director of the QRMC, Bush will report to Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Clifford Stanley.

Federal law mandates that every four years, the secretary of defense conduct a review of the principles and concepts of the compensation system for military members.