GREAT SCOTT! SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE IS A REGIONAL CORNERSTONE AND THIRD LARGEST EMPLOYER, BUT ITS FUTURE COULD BE IN JEOPARDY. By WILLIAM POE Scott Air Force Base is a city within a city. Like many other towns in the region, Scott AFB has its own police and fire departments, hospital, restaurants, movie theater, service stations, grocery, library, bank and housing, along with physicians, lawyers and other professionals to serve its residents. More than 12,000 people work at Scott. But, unlike other cities, Scott could one day just disappear from the 4,000 acres it represents on the southwestern Illinois map. The Mobility Control Center in the U.S. Transportation Command headquarters, at Scott Air Force Base. Scott, which was established in 1917 near Mascoutah, Ill., is threatened by the post-Cold War federally-mandated periodic reviews of the necessity of military installations. “With another round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) looming in 2005, it’s more important than ever that people understand both the critical role that Scott Air Force Base plays in protecting our nation and what a powerful economic engine the base is for our region,” says Ron Capek, chairman of the Military Affairs Committee of the Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois. “Not only is the base the third largest employer in the St. Louis metropolitan region, but it is also home to many of the military’s most important commands.” “Not only is the base the third largest employer in the St. Louis metropolitan region, but it is also home to many of the military’s most important commands.” Ron Capek chairman of the Military Affairs Committee of the Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois Scott is home to the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), the Air Mobility Command, the 375th Airlift Wing, the 932nd Reserve Airlift Wing, and the 126th Air National Guard Refueling Wing. Through these commands, every U.S. military transportation operation—from deploying troops to the Persian Gulf region to transporting the President—is controlled and monitored by Scott personnel. As Gen. John W. Handy, USAF, commander in chief of USTRANSCOM and commander of the Air Mobility Command, puts it: “Seven days a week, 24 hours-a-day, the people who work there coordinate the movement of goods and personnel on a scale unimagined by any other transportation business and control $56 billion in military assets.” GEN. JOHN W. HANDY, USAF commander in chief of USTRANSCOM and commander of the Air Mobility Command Handy proudly points out that Scott was responsible for moving personnel and supplies into Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom. The scope of that transportation operation is exceeded only by those associated with the Persian Gulf War and the Berlin Airlift. During an average week, Handy’s team directs more than 1,900 air mobility missions, has 25 or more ships underway and handles 10,000 ground shipments. As vital as that mission is for the military and the worldwide projection of U.S. power, it’s the impact of Washington’s dollars that is so important to the region. COL. DARREN MCDEW 375th Airlift Wing Commander Col. Darren McDew, 375th Airlift Wing commander at Scott, points out that the Scott community consists of more than 34,000 military, civilian, retired personnel, and their family members. Some live on the base and some live off the base, but they all spend money. “The population of Scott is a diverse group with a wide range of needs,” McDew says. “Most of these needs are met by the private sector and government agencies within the surrounding communities. These people shop in the stores, attend church services and schools and contribute to the communities in which they live.” Contribute indeed. According to a study completed last year for the Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois, Scott has a total annual economic impact of $2.1 billion. Nearly 105,000 people are economically impacted by Scott. That number includes 13,000 direct jobs, 36,000 indirect jobs for those supplying goods and services to the base, 14,000 military retirees in the St. Louis area, and 40,000 dependents. Eighty-two percent of the jobs generated by Scott are concentrated in St. Clair County, Ill. Those numbers are no surprise to the government officials in communities surrounding the base. “We have a lot of people living here in the City of Fairview Heights who either work there or are associated with it,” says Mayor Gail D. Mitchell. “Scott has one big impact on our economy here.” St. Clair County Board Chairman John Baricevic says Scott is the largest single employer in Illinois south of Peoria and positively impacts all facets of life in the region. “From jobs created and payroll released into the local economy, to the impact the base has on the local housing market and quality of life, there is no escaping the fact that Scott AFB has a significant direct impact on the community at large,” Capek stresses. It’s an impact no one wants to lose. “How would the average guy on the street react if Anheuser-Busch announced they were leaving town?” Baricevic asks. “Scott has twice the impact.” Mitchell adds, “If they were to leave it would be a huge loss. I worry not only about my city but the whole region.” Nevertheless, Baricevic says some federal government and military officials would like to close Scott or minimize its role. “We are in danger,” Baricevic warns. “How would the average guy on the street react if Anheuser-Busch announced they were leaving town? Scott has twice the impact.” John Baricevic board chairman, St. Clair County Capek is among those who have been working through both the Leadership Council and the RCGA’s Illinois Public Policy group since the last round of BRAC closings in 1995 to plan and prepare for future threats to Scott. The base survived the last round of closings, but the U.S. Army Charles Melvin Price Support Center in Granite City was later all but closed. No one is predicting the future for Scott. Baricevic says it is “very possible” that Scott would be targeted for elimination or reduction in operations. The local military is mum on the subject. “As a matter of long-standing DOD (Department of Defense) policy, we do not publicly discuss or speculate on pending force structure and basing issues,” McDew says. “When appropriate, those matters are announced at the Department of the Air Force and Department of Defense levels.” “As we look to the future with another round of BRAC on the horizon, we need to work together as a region to make sure that we preserve Scott AFB and keep this powerful economic engine running,” Capek says. And Mitchell says area leaders should be working now to ensure that Scott AFB does not disappear from the regional map. William V. Poe is principal of Poe Communications, a St. Louis advertising and marketing communications firm.

February 2003 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cover Story, JOE HASTEN, vice chairman of corporate banking, U.S. Bancorp Making the Call - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.stlrcga.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.technologygateway.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Great Scott! ANDY PUZDER president & CEO, CKE Restaurants, Inc./ Hardee’s Food Systems, Inc.