North Carolina Military Affairs Commission (NCMAC) Update

Cornell Wilson Jr.

Major General, USMC Retired

Military Affairs Advisor

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Agenda

• Economic Impact

• Military Presence – Fort Bragg

– Camp Lejeune / MCAS New River

– MCAS Cherry Point

– Seymour Johnson AFB

– Coast Guard

– Reserve Components

• NCMAC Purpose

• NCMAC Structure

• NCMAC Top Priorities

• BRAC Preparation

• Initial SWOT Observations

• Legislative Accomplishments in 2014

• Summary

• Questions

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Economic Impact

• 10% of NC’s economic activity – NC’s second largest sector of the economy

• $30B in Personal Income, $50B in Gross State Product (when Veterans Affairs included)

• Defense contracts in FY2015:

• Prime contracts: $2.5 billion (reduce by nearly 1 Billion since 2012)

• Subcontracts: additional billions*

• Prime Contracts in NC: Federal in 97 Counties (reduced by 3 since 2012); DoD in 79 Counties (reduced by 4 since 2012)

• Sequestration and declining federal budgets will likely continue to reduce the overall economic

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North Carolina’s Military Presence

• 4th Highest military presence • 6 major installations (5 DoD/1 DHS) • 116 NC National Guard facilities • 40 Army Reserve facilities statewide • Nearly 135,000 Active, Guard and

Reserve personnel • Largest concentration of Marines on

the East Coast • Over 50% of all Special Operations

Forces

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Fort Bragg

• Largest Army base by population • Workforce; over 80,000 • Commands:

– US Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) – US Army Reserve Command (USARC) – US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) – Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) – XVIII Airborne Corps, 82d Airborne Division – 440th Airlift Wing/43rd Airlift Group (Pope AAF)

• Estimated Economic Impact: $10 Billion

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Camp Lejeune and New River MCAS

• Workforce: over 59,000

• Commands: – II Marine Expeditionary Force

– 2nd Marine Division

– Marine Corps Installations East

– Marine Corps Forces Special Operations CMD

– Marine Aircraft Groups 26 and 29

• Estimated Economic Impact: $4.4 Billion

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MCAS Cherry Point

• Workforce: over 14,000

• Commands:

– 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing

– Fleet Readiness Center East (FRC East)

– FRC East • Major aircraft depot maintenance facility

• Largest civilian employer east of I-95

• Estimated Economic Impact: $2.1 Billion

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Seymour Johnson AFB

• Workforce: over 7,200

• Commands:

– 4th Fighter Wing (94 F-15E)

– 916th Air Refueling Wing (16 KC-135R)

• Air Force “Home” for F-15E Strike Eagle

• Estimated Economic Impact: $530 Million

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US Coast Guard

• Workforce: over 3,000

• USCG Base Elizabeth City Commands: – Aviation Logistics Center

• Center for all depot maintenance of USCG aircraft

– Air Station

– Aviation Technical Training Center

• USCG Sector North Carolina (Wilmington) – Search and Recuse for North Carolina Coast

• Estimated Economic Impact: $805 Million

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Reserve Components

• NC National Guard – 120 Facilities / 11,778

Personnel – Est. Economic Impact: $600

Million

• Army Reserve – 43 Facilities / 5,623 Personnel – Est. Economic Impact: $570

Million

• Air Force Reserve: – 2 facilities / 3,305 Personnel – Est. Economic Impact: $165

Million

• Navy Reserve: – 4 Facilities / 1,171 Personnel – Est. Economic Impact: $17

Million

• Marine Corps Reserve: – 4 Facilities / 300 Personnel – Est. Economic Impact: $4

Million

• Coast Guard Reserve: – 10 Facilities / 220 Personnel – Est. Economic Impact: $8

Million

10 Total Estimated Economic Impact of the Guard and Reserves: $1.4 Billion

NCMAC PURPOSE:

To advise the Governor, NC General Assembly, and State agencies on ways to:

1. Protect the existing military infrastructure in NC – against incompatible development, future military budget cuts, downsizing or consolidation, future base Realignment & Closure (BRAC)

2. Promote new military missions – supporting the vitality, prosperity and expansion of our military operations (grow the economic impact)

3. Improve quality of life – for military members and families by protecting and enhancing military programs and benefits.

4. Support Economic Opportunities for the State- leveraging opportunities for NC businesses and growing our economy

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NCMAC Structure

• 21 Voting Members – Lead by Chair (Bud Martin) and Vice Chair (Paul Dordal) – 2 Representatives from the General Assembly – 13 Installation Representatives (3 each from Fort Bragg, MCB Camp Lejeune, MCAS Cherry

Point, and Seymour-Johnson, 1 from Elizabeth City CGS) – 6 At-Large Representatives

• Three Non-Voting Members – The Governor’s Military Affairs Advisor – 2 Representatives from the General Assembly

• 29 Ex-Officio Members

• 4 Standing Committees / 1 Select Committee – Economic Development Chair, Gary McKissock – Base Sustainability & Community Affairs Chair, Robert Dickerson – Quality of Life Chair, Robert Anderson – Legislative Affairs Chair, Senator Harry Brown – BRAC (as required) Chair, Paul Dordal

NCMAC Funding

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BRAC Preparedness

Initiatives 56%

Travel 1%

Memberships / Conferences

0%

Operating Costs

0%

Other Expenses

0%

Remaining Funding

43%

BRAC Preparedness Initiatives: $554,900.00 • SWOT Analysis • Strategic Plan • Federal Advocacy / Lobbying

Travel: $ 14,562.49 Memberships / Conferences: $ 2,427.00 Operating Costs: $ 2,244.77 Other Expenses: $ 1,000.00 Remaining Funding $424,865.74

• Projective Earmarks for Remaining Funding: • Compatible Development Mapping $120,000 • REMI Study $ 55,000 • Regional JLUS $180,000 • Community Grants $ 70,000

NCMAC Top Priorities (Summarized)

1. Develop a Strategic Plan to reduce the risk to NC military Installations from downsizing or closures.

2. Support in-state tuition for military affiliated students.

3. Assist NC Working Lands Group and installations with efforts to preserve land near military installations.

4. Develop economic development opportunities associated with logistics and supply chain support for military aircraft (ex: JSF) and aviation equipment.

5. Improve High Structures/Wind turbine farm legislation that affects Military Installations, Training, or Operations

6. Ensure that Hoffman Forest is maintained as a military training area

7. Coordinate and assist with transportation infrastructure issues affecting military installations.

8. Integrate Veterans, Guard, Reserve, and military dependents into NC workforce

9. Coordinate for state funding and support for 911 Call Centers on military installations and establish Joint 911 Call Centers with local communities where appropriate

10. Coordinate State certification for military Child Care Centers located on installations.

11. Waive fees for annual certifications for firefighters and EMT personnel.

12. Leverage Federal, State, and Local funds for National Guard Infrastructure Improvement and Veteran / Service Member Programs

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Legislative Accomplishments in 2014 • House Bill 1060: Military Student Identifier (Signed into Law on June 19, 2014)

– Requires the State Board of Education to develop an annual identification process to identify military connected students using the Uniform Education Reporting System

• Senate Bill 761: Credit for Military Training / Certificates, licensures, and Accreditation from Other States (Signed into Law on July 10, 2014) – Provide clearer guidance to licensure and professional boards on accepting military education and training, as well as

certification from other states for Military Service Members and their Dependents – Places timelines on responding to requests and ensure justification for denials are provided

• Senate Bill 614: Protect Military Lands and Protect Sensitive Documents (Signed into Law on July 22, 2014) – Strengthens law that ensure encroachment on Military Installations are managed to prevent degradation of training and

readiness – Moves responsibility for approving tall structure within 5 miles of an installation from the Commissioner of Insurance to the

State Construction Office – Protects sensitive documents concerning North Carolina’s preparation and efforts for future BRAC actions until the federal

government has made the final decisions on these matters

• House Bill 1048: Adjutant General Selection Criteria (Signed into Law on August 6, 2014) – Strengthens current language to ensure the Adjutant General is capable of receiving federal recognition in the rank of Major

General

• In-state tuition for Veterans as Part of Senate Bill 744: Appropriations act of 2014 (Signed into Law on August 7, 2014) – Provides 5.86 Million dollars (4.86M for UNC System and 1M for NCCCS) in state funding to in direct match of the Federal Yellow

Ribbon Program for Veterans and Family members attending North Carolina Community Colleges and Universities using the Post 911 GI Bill

– NOTE: With the changes prescribed by The Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 (Federal Legislation); the General Assembly must take up new legislation to comply with federal law

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Strengths Weakness

Opportunities Threats

• Solid and Enduring Missions • Significant number of “off-post” training

areas • High value ranges w/ myriad of customers • Integrated training • Strong regional alliances • Tremendous College / University Programs

• Shared services (P4, EULs, third party finance)

• Pipeline, education, work force development

• Desire to have more “benefits for military / Vets

• Ability to accept growth, expansion, and new missions

• Impacts of sequestration and declining budgets

• Encroachment, incompatible development • Rare, threatened, endangered species

• Transportation Infrastructure (Many Improvement, but need many more)

• CODEL Lack of coordinated engagement • Lagging K-12 programs • Legacy systems at installations • Training Ranges need modernization

Initial SWOT Observations

Addressing Vulnerabilities

• Local / Regional Actions: – Increase Public – Public / Public – Private (P4) opportunities – Small Scale project funding – Local Ordinances to address incompatible development – K-12 Schools improvements / Consider STEM or Aviation Based Charter Schools

• State Actions: – Project funding to increase military value of installations and activities – Increase / Enhance language that protects Installations and Training Areas from incompatible

development – K-12 Schools Ombudsman / Increase Military Liaison Counselor Program

• Federal Legislator Actions – Stance against Army Force Reductions – New Missions and Force Structure at installations – Refinements to DoD Clearing House – Increasing Federal Impact Aid to Schools

Summary

The NCMAC continues to meet the goals and requirements as defined in General Statue and Directives from the Governor

Initial SWOT analysis is complete, with budget recommendation provided to be included in Governor’s Budget Request

A strategic plan is forthcoming with short range and long range goals, in the meantime the Commission is focused on immediate requirements

The Commission is developing a systematic path with subsequent steps to achieve long range goals

All actions support our top priorities

All efforts work to ensure that North Carolina remains the unquestionable Friendliest State to this Nation’s Military and Veterans

The NCMAC fully supports the Governor’s request to create a Department of Military and Veteran’s Affairs

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Questions?

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