Anticipated growth of Fort Benning will affect region

(R) John Mitchell, chair of the Chamber's Military Affairs Committee and Fort Benning Futures Partnership, talked to the BRAC Commission in Atlanta June 30 about Fort Benning's ability to expand. Also speaking on behalf of the Columbus region was Biff Hadden, senior vice president of Economic Development and Military Affairs, who talked about the Columbus region and how the region has organized to meet the anticipated growth. According to BRAC staffers, they appreciated the verifiable numbers that both provided. They were the only Chamber representatives who made official presentations to the commission.

Hadden and Mitchell assured the commission that Fort Benning and the Columbus region will be prepared to support any action. While official results for BRAC won't be announced until September, planning is already well-underway to accommodate any possible result. "We have a regional effort to address the growth proposed by BRAC," said Hadden. "It includes the entire Valley Partnership Joint Development Authority (Chattahoochee-Cusseta, Harris, Marion, Muscogee, Talbot and Taylor counties and the cities of Manchester and West Point) and Stewart County in Georgia along with Barbour, Lee and Russell counties in Alabama."

Pending the final decision of BRAC's assessment of more than 400 military bases, Fort Benning is set to be the second largest actual gainer in the country. The Base Realignment and Closure Commission, or BRAC for short, was formed by the federal government to assess the Department of Defense's recommendations for base closures and to send their validated recommendations for the president's and congressional approval. This is actually the fifth round of BRAC. Past years include 1988, 1991, 1993 and 1995.

If BRAC continues to move in the direction it is currently, Fort Benning can expect tremendous and rapid growth. Fort Benning would gain 5,000 permanent military personnel in both pre-BRAC growth and BRAC growth. Along with this, Fort Benning would also gain 700 civil service workers, up to 550 full-time contract personnel and more than 750 defense contractors. Fort Benning would train about 100,000 soldiers a year. That is equal to one out of every five soldiers currently in the army.

If BRAC recommendations are approved, this region can expect a nine percent growth in the metropolitan statistical area on top of the annual growth rate of .86 percent. Fort Benning currently contributes $100 million to our local economy every month. It is estimated that Fort Benning would provide an additional $25 to $30 million dollars a month to our local economy. This would open up job opportunities for teachers, small businesses, contractors and defense contractors, and more.

Local school systems can expect about 1,000 additional students each if the BRAC recommendations are approved. There would also be a need for increased housing in the region: an estimated 6,500 single-family homes and about 2,000 more apartments. Currently 400-500 homes are built a year; however, to achieve the number of homes needed, this would have to increase to 1,500 a year. Contractors for new and renovated housing on Fort Benning will be doing $1.7 billion in construction over the next five to eight years pending the final BRAC recommendation.

Relocating the Armor School from Fort Knox to Fort Benning is a recommendation from the Department of Defense to the BRAC Commission. It represents more than $460 million to build the new state-of-the-art Armor School. If approved, the Maneuver Center will be operating in August of 2007. The majority of the Armor School will be in place and operating by the summer of 2009. Instructors and material will be in place at least six months before the courses start. Accompanying the Armor School will also be 1,035 vehicles and significant simulation equipment.

"Accommodating the anticipated increased population is a process of preparing and phasing," according to Hadden. In order for this transition to be successful, it has to be seamless. "Our team is working hard to ensure our region is ready for growth at Fort Benning. It is exciting to see this growth come to fruition," Hadden explained.

For further information on the Fort Benning Futures Partnership or BRAC, please contact Biff Hadden at bhadden@columbusgachamber.com or Rita Lusk at rlusk@columbusgachamber.com or call 706-327-1566.

The Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce held a New Member Orientation at Carrabba's Italian Grill June 21. More than 125 people turned out to learn about the Chamber and how they can benefit from their membership.

The New Member Orientation luncheon attracted more than 125 people including (L) Isaiah Hugley, city manager, who spoke to the group about the public-private partnership that exists between the Columbus Consolidated Government and the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce.

There were several guest speakers including Isaiah Hugley, city manager; Biff Hadden, sr. vice president of Military Affairs of the Chamber; Dr. Brel Clark, Vision of the South; Debbie Seeley-Dicks, Columbus Office Products, Inc.; Beverly Robinson, Spherion Corporation; and Chamber President and CEO Mike Gaymon.

The event was sponsored by Michael Harrell, managing partner Carrabba's Italian Grill, for the food and facility, Moon Family Properties was the event sponsor, Leona May, of Destiny Designs and Solutions was the flyer sponsor and the media sponsor was Archway Broadcasting with Dave Arwood as the Master of Ceremonies.

For more information or to register for the next New Member Orientation, please contact Marie Cordero at mcordero@columbusgachamber.com or 706-327-1566.