| Eglin AFB prepares community for busier base - Northwest Florida Daily News article "Expect a louder and much busier Air Base in the coming decade. Eglin Air Force Base gave that message to county and city officials at a meeting Wednesday morning September 21, 2005. Air Armament Center Commander Major General Robert Chedister and one of his top aides, Bob Arnold, also stressed that preparing Eglin for the influx of more than 3400 troops, contractors and scores of F-35 warplanes will take a lot of help from municipalities and state officials. To foster the process, the air base introduced the civilians to the Eglin Encroachment Committee's new goal, and its new name. Now dubbed the Mission Enhancement Committee, politicians and administrators can expect to hear from the 15 man group when Eglin requires help. "Instead of all requests coming to the Air Force, we are going to have an arrow going in both directions," Arnold said. In other words, when a city or business requests Air Force land for a project, it had better explain how the base would benefit. Arnold and Chedister used the nearly finished Base Realignment and Closure process to make the case for more tight-fisted property leasing or land swaps. The 7th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, N.C., was realigned to Eglin during BRAC. The Green Berets - more than 2,000 are now expected - have chosen a triangle of Air Force land across state Road 85 from the 33rd Fighter Wing to build headquarters and barracks. As the presentation turned to F-35 Joint Strike Fighter training for pilots and maintainers also coming to Eglin, Arnold offered numbers to help explain the immense mission. One was an estimate of takeoffs and landings when the program is fully up and running: 135 daily sorties. That translates into a takeoff or landing every two to three minutes, assuming a 10 hour workday. Homeowners can expect more noise as a result. Joint Strike Force will be everywhere chipped Major General Chedister. This will be fighter town USA for the next 30 years. The Okaloosa County Commission chairman Bill Roberts said the county isn't ready for what's coming, but we will be. John Broxson, a Santa Rosa County commissioner, also jumped on the bandwagon. It's going to be a challenge, he said. We've all got to pull together. It's not going to be an easy transition." Due to the size of the influx, described above, we can expect the present high demand for housing in the greater Fort Walton Beach area to further increase. Brac Meeting 2-14-06 Lt Gen Fornell spoke about the number of people coming to Eglin in the next few years. Army 7th Special Forces Group beginning with Oct 2009(FY2010): Personnel: -1352 Arrive in FY2010 and 2011; Total of 2240 by 2014. Funding: -Military Construction: $328 Million -Projected Schedule: Phase 1 construction to begin in FY 2008. Joint Strike Force Integrated Training Center (ITC): Personnel estimate: -2200 Personnel (Permanent Party Planning number) -Daily student load: 120 Student Pilots; 668 student maintenance personnel -248 Contractors (Lockheed Martin) Funding Estimate: -Military Construction: $302 Million (JPO Initial Planning Estimate) -Includes: USAF, USMC, USAF and International Students from 5 nations. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (Conventional Armament Research (CAR) Org): -Personnel 36 (21 Gov, 15 Contractors) Cost Estimates: -Military Construction 1 Million. Use existing buildings on Eglin AFB. AETC Altitude Chamber: -Moody AFB altitude chamber must move as result of BRAC Closure. -Closest current altitude chamber at Tyndall AFB. -Will support all MAJCOMs and Services Eglin AFB Impact: Requirement for additonal support facilites: -Child Development Center -Fitness facilities -Dining facilites -Temporary lodging facilities Personnel: -Security forces -Medical -Other Current Focus Areas: Eglin AFB: -Environmental Impact Study -Joint-Use Facility Opportunities -Range & Training Requirements Community: -Affordable Housing -Improved Transportation System -Additional Schools and Teachers Total Planned Growth at Eglin AFB: Installation Personnel Impacts: -Increase of Approximately 5000 personnel -87% Senior enlisted -12% Officers -1% Civilians -Majority arrive in 2010 and 2011 -Expect 200+ support contractors Community Impacts: -Increase in dependents of approximately 7000 -Total increase in population 12000 -Military Construction will likely exceed $600 Million -Military construction starts in FY2008 |