Posts Tagged ‘community military partnership’

The best way communities can support veterans and military families in many cases is to take advantage of the dozens of nonprofits in their area already serving those populations. While the sheer number of veterans organizations and programs already under way in a given community can be confusing and make it difficult for local officials to commit new resources to overcoming the challenges facing veterans, taking an active role often requires only that a community convene existing stakeholders and identify ways to augment services already being delivered, according to the latest article published in the Journal of Defense Communities …

Following two days of visits with senior officials at the Pentagon last week, representatives from Craven County say local efforts to strengthen Eastern North Carolina’s Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and Fleet Readiness Center East are paying off. “Senior civilians in the Pentagon do notice what we have done for Cherry Point, regarding encroachment and in terms of infrastructure improvements and planning and positioning ourselves for future growth …

The Air Force and more than a dozen of its host communities are embracing the use of partnerships to help trim base operating costs, the service’s top installations official told the Senate Armed Services’ Readiness Subcommittee Wednesday. “Installation-community partnerships are one approach to reducing operating and service costs while enhancing and retaining quality,” Kathleen Ferguson, acting assistant secretary for installations, environment and logistics, told lawmakers …

Leaders in northeastern Maryland and the surrounding region believe a new transportation center opening this week at Aberdeen Proving Ground will help make a dent in traffic congestion at the post by reducing workers’ reliance on single-occupant vehicles. The APG-Chesapeake Science & Security Corridor Transportation Center’s primary goal will be to encourage military and civilian employees of the post’s 90 tenant organizations and nearby defense contractors to consider alternative commuting options, including commuter rail, a private bus line providing service to New Jersey, car and vanpools, and the Guaranteed Ride Home Program …

The state of Georgia would finance a $10 million school to retrain veterans located close to Robins Air Force Base, under a proposal supported by Gov. Nathan Deal. Deal is asking the state legislature to approve a bond to finance the veterans center, a 50,000-square-foot facility in Warner Robins that also would offer academic credentials to service members …

Local leaders in Colorado Springs, Colo., are urging city and state officials to develop a forward-looking approach to the next BRAC round, which many believe may be only a couple of years away. “We need an aggressive statewide strategy to protect and enhance current missions,” Scott Bryan, a member of the Regional Coalition for Federal Strategic Action, told the Colorado Springs Business Journal. “It’s a chance to grow the capacity to expand the defense presence here — and we should commit resources to that …

In the face of budget cuts and a pending BRAC round, the state of Kansas is making the case to preserve the missions of its five military installations. At a meeting Wednesday of the Governor’s Military Council, Gov. Sam Brownback said one strategy the state should pursue is supporting bases by sharing costs and resources. Perhaps the state should take over road maintenance for Fort Riley, if legal, he suggested …

The commonwealth of Massachusetts will fund a program to conduct comprehensive energy audits at each of its six military installations as part of a first-of-its-kind initiative to identify opportunities for renewable energy development, officials announced Thursday. The effort is intended to help the Defense Department achieve two of its key priorities — reducing base operating costs and boosting energy security — and builds on the state’s leadership in promoting energy efficiency and clean energy …

A video teleconference last week hosted by Army garrison leaders for community officials from across the country generated a plethora of ideas for partnering initiatives that could benefit the Army and its neighbors. Fort Hood Commander Col. Matthew Elledge highlighted the partnerships the post has with Texas A&M University and Central Texas College. Maj. Gen. John Uberti, Installation Management Command deputy commanding general for support, added that Army installations are establishing programs in science, technology, engineering and math in partnership with local institutions dedicated to fifth graders …

In an effort to boost the number of students seeking high-tech careers, eight major tenant organizations at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., last week agreed to expand educational outreach efforts in science, technology, engineering and math with Harford County Public Schools. The partnership is intended to increase participation and improve students’ performance in STEM. “We are committed to tomorrow,” said Maj. Gen. Robert Ferrell, commanding general of Army Communications-Electronics Command and senior installation commander. “We are providing an opportunity to ensure that we have the right resources with the right intellect and energy …