GA Congressional Leaders Highlight Robins Air Force Base
Today’s meeting follows a series of Georgia- and D.C.-based meetings with the Georgia Congressional delegation and senior Pentagon officials from each of the branches of the armed services to discuss the importance of Georgia-based equities and assets and the critical roles each play in our national defense.
Home to the Air Force Reserve Command, the 78th Air Base Wing and the fleet of Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS), Robins Air Force Base plays a vital role in our national defense, providing support to all branches of the military throughout the world. Through its leadership in defense technology research and development at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins Air Force Base serves as a critical backbone to the entire Department of Defense.
In addition, Robins Air Force Base employs over 21,000 and contributes over $2.75 billion to the Georgia economy annually. Robins Air Force Base and its community partners have focused on education in Middle Georgia to help shape Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) development throughout Georgia and the country.
In advance of this morning’s breakfast, Senator Johnny Isakson and Representative Sanford Bishop provided extended remarks to GeorgiaPol on the importance of Robbins Air Force Base. Said Senator Isakson:
“With military installations all across our state, Georgia is fortunate to play an important role in our national defense. As every Georgia community that is home to one of our military installations makes clear, our bases not only offer protection at home and abroad, they also are major players in the daily lives and economies of these communities. And the men and women who take care of us by serving in the military are supported by their patriotic communities in Georgia.
“Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Ga., serves a unique purpose here because it is home to the 78th Air Base Wing and home to the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, known as JSTARS to the military community. JSTARS is a surveillance fleet that is critical to the defense of the United States, and has been especially useful to the war on terrorism.
“As members of Congress, we are working closely with Robins AFB and its community partners such as the 21st Century partnership in the area to make sure both the needs of the installation and the community are met. In addition, Robins’ total economic impact for Georgia is $2.75 billion annually. I’m looking forward to hosting this important group to continue our efforts to support the joint military value that Robins Air Force Base has to offer to Georgia and to our national defense.”
and from Congressman Sanford Bishop:
“Undoubtedly, Robins Air Force Base is a critical component to our nation’s defense structure. The installation is home to the Air Force’s only Joint Surveillance Targeting Attack Radar System (JSTARS) mission which is executed in the combined effort of the active Air Force and the Georgia National Guard, and the Air Force Reserve Command, the largest Air Force Major Command. The installation is host to Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex, one of the three depots in the United States Air Force responsible for crucial equipment and aircraft maintenance and restoration while the locally stationed Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Aviation Commander is the sole source of repair parts and supply items used in aviation maintenance within the Air Logistics Complex. Furthermore, the 5th Combat Communications Group at Robins deploys rapidly across the globe to provide tactical communications and air traffic control and landing systems to support our war fighters. The value of these missions and the many others assigned to the tenant units of Robins Air Force Base is irreplaceable.
“The value to the larger Warner Robins community directly sourced from Robins Air Force Base is just as crucial. Since 1942, Robins has propelled economic activity in middle Georgia and this remains true today as the installation has evolved into the single largest industrial complex in the entire state. The post employs nearly 23,000 civilian, military, and contract employees, with an annual federal payroll of $1.3 billion. With over 57 thousand residents in the greater Warner Robins area, the direct economic impact on the local community resulting from civilian and military payroll, construction, utilities and contracts, and other expenditures associated with the base, is clearly unmatched.”
About Author
Charlie
Founder of GeorgiaPol.com; Now weekly columnist Very interested in Georgia and Georginas. Interest in politics is waning daily.
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If Robbins ever got BRAC’ed it would devestate Middle Georgia, an area which is already struggling in many ways.
Macon has serious issues and liquidating WR would just exacerbate things.
I don’t see anything like that happening.
State congressional delegations and local politicians always tell us their particular military installations are of critical importance. The reality is that some installations are not critical to our defense and some are a waste of taxpayer money.
Your contribution here is a pretty meaningless post. Would you like to add something that isn’t boilerplate warmed-over crap?
Closing Robbins would devestate a region in a military friendly state. Do you agree?
My position is that the primary purpose of the military is to defend this country. Its fine if a “needed installation” helps the local economy but helping the local economy should not be the primary reason to keep an installation open.
An April 2016 report authorized by Department of Defense shows that DOD has 22% excess capacity overall, including 33% in the Army, 32% in AF and 7% in the Navy. The report concludes that a BRAC is warranted. Of course we are unlikely to see a BRAC this year because it is an election year.
Closing Robbins would temporarily affect the regional economy but would hardly “devastate” the region. Additionally, it’s unknown if Robbins would be included in a future BRAC.
http://www.taxpayer.net/images/uploads/DOD_Report-Infrastructure_Capacity_Analysis-BRAC_4-12-16.pdf