Tag: white river military coordination alliance

White River Military Coordination Alliance celebrates five year anniversary

Posted on by Radius Indiana

By: Matt Craig, Director of Crane Community Support for Radius Indiana

The White River Military Alliance celebrated five years of accomplishments this past November with a luncheon that brought together state and local leaders, stakeholders from five counties, defense representatives, and the leadership of Naval Support Activity Crane. Keynote speakers highlighted the organization’s accomplishments and monumental impact on the southern Indiana defense ecosystem.

The Alliance was formed in 2018 to promote positive development and growth in the communities that surround NSA Crane. Since its establishment, it has created a model for connectivity between military installations and their surrounding communities by initiating a direct line of communication focused on mutual benefit.

As the third largest US Navy base in the world, NSA Crane covers 64,000 acres and employs nearly 6,200 people, making its daytime population larger than many of the communities that surround the base. The local and military members of the Alliance recognize that the mutual well-being of Crane and the neighboring communities is critical for continued growth of the region’s defense economy.

Over the past five years, WRMCA worked to address the 87 recommendations that were identified in a 2017 Joint Land Use Study, a collaborative planning initiative undertaken by state or local government in partnership with a military installation to protect and preserve military readiness and defense capabilities while supporting continued community growth and economic
development.

The Alliance is proud to say that it is nearly 90 percent through that list. Major accomplishments since 2017 include formalizing a Commitment to Improve Communication and Collaboration between the installation and the communities, and a 911 Emergency Dispatch Agreement to coordinate and transfer 911 calls originating from NSA Crane from the county Dispatch Centers to the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Dispatch Center. Additionally, a Conservation Incentive Toolkit was designed to identify opportunities for land conservation in the communities that neighbor Crane and Lake Glendora, and this program was nationally recognized during the Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program in 2020.

Most recently, the Alliance, in partnership with the Southern Indiana Development Commission, was awarded nearly $500,000 to develop two separate initiatives in the southern Indiana region. A Regional Resilience Master Plan will work to identify the effect of projected climate scenarios on shared critical infrastructure that may impact mission readiness and help to understand shared vulnerabilities and risks both inside and outside NSA Crane and Lake Glendora Test Facility boundaries. In addition, a housing coalition will be created to grow the pool of local development talent to increase residential options for those living near the local military installations.

The Alliance still has a lot to look forward to, including program implementation on projects such as Intergovernmental Support Agreements, the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape, and military compatibility alongside the Indiana Defense Task Force. Radius applauds WRMCA for the achievements it has reached over the last five years and looks forward to the continuing partnership in the years to come.

New State Legislation Benefits Military Spouses and Defense Communities

Posted on by Radius Indiana

By: Matt Craig, Director of Crane Community Support for Radius Indiana

 

Indiana lawmakers wrapped up the 2023 legislative session in late April, approving 252 bills. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s Next Level Agenda focused on several major funding increases in the state budget, including education, public health and safety, and community development.

In addition, under Gov. Holcomb’s leadership, Indiana is advancing a more collaborative, strategic approach to growing and enhancing its defense industry. Indiana is strengthening its efforts to increase the state’s competitiveness in the defense economy. Two Senate Bills and two House Bills affecting the military bases and military families were passed this spring and will improve Indiana’s defense environment.

Senate Bill 332 deals with planning and zoning that affects military bases. This bill allows a unit to establish a military impact zoning district for an area adversely impacted by the effects of military operations, and will make planning, zoning, and development activity in these areas subject to the military installation commander’s determination regarding the activity’s impact on military operations. This bill covers the majority of the state’s action items identified in the 2017 NSA Crane Joint Land Use study. In essence, the local communities have been doing this, and now it’s codified by state law. 

Senate Bill 477 limits threats to critical infrastructure. Starting June 30, 2023, a prohibited person may not purchase, lease, or acquire a parcel of real property that is directly adjacent to a military installation. This helps protect NSA Crane from a foreign company spying on activities on base. This concept of foreign direct investment adjacent to military bases is a significant national security issue and this Senate bill will help prevent such threats.

On the House side, House Bill 1555 focuses on occupational licenses for those in military families. This bill provides that a military service applicant who has held an occupational license, certification, registration, or permit in another jurisdiction for at least one year may qualify for an Indiana license, removing the requirement that an applicant must have had a license for at least two of the five years preceding the date of the application. This eases the burden on military families as they move across the country every two to three years. This is an issue the military tracks across all states, and allows Indiana to become more welcoming to those individuals by eliminating barriers. 

House Bill 1034 exempts Hoosier military members from paying state income taxes starting July 1, 2023. The final draft of the measure signed by Gov. Holcomb increases the active duty military income tax deduction from its current $5,000 cap to a full exemption, which follows a 2019 law allowing all retired military income to be tax-exempt.

Radius Indiana, the White River Military Coordination Alliance and Crane Regional Defense Group worked closely with Indiana Representatives and community partners on the creation of these bills and we commend our leaders for recognizing the importance of the defense industry in our state.

NSA Crane Leadership Shares Plans for Mission Growth and Community Partnerships

Posted on by Radius Indiana

By: Matt Craig, Director of Crane Community Support for Radius Indiana

Naval Support Activity (NSA) Crane leadership delivered the third annual “State of the Installation” address about its plans for mission growth and enhancing community partnerships during the White River Military Coordination Alliance’s (WRMCA) fourth-quarter meeting. 

Leaders from NSA Crane have delivered this address to WRMCA since its inauguration in 2018. WRMCA, which includes state and local government officials, regional and local economic development officials, and Crane representatives, was formed to strengthen the relationship between NSA Crane and the surrounding communities. 

The “State of the Installation” address provides an opportunity for Crane to share strategic goals, operational changes, and proposed construction projects that may impact the Alliance membership. 

This year’s address was given by NSA Crane Commanding Officer CDR James L. Smith, who took command in 2020. Smith’s address included the following key updates and opportunities for community collaboration:

  • Infrastructure and growth plans: Crane plans to restart construction of the Underwater Launch Test Complex in 2022. This represents a $100 million investment in infrastructure and programs with the addition of its new tenant, the Joint Hypersonics Transition Office Systems Engineering Field Activity. 
  • Job trends: NSWC Crane seeks to hire college graduates in technical fields. Crane Army Ammunition Activity continues to fill roles in logistics, analytics, robotics, and trades such as machinists as it works to develop and implement modernization plans.
  • Trending research areas: Smith highlighted areas for potential growth in cutting-edge technology research, including advanced hypersonics and trusted microelectronics.
  • Opportunities for collaboration: Smith identified opportunities to continue to explore community partnerships, intergovernmental service agreements, and educational opportunities that will build a strong talent pipeline to fill jobs.
  • Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) recommendations: Implementation of JLUS recommendations will continue to create opportunities for economic development and growth within the region and state while protecting Crane’s missions.
  • Indiana defense industry initiatives: Leaders from Crane will work with Indiana’s economic development arm to ensure a focus on development that will enhance Crane and the state’s ability to satisfy DoD’s critical warfighting needs.

Members of WRMCA will provide an update on the State of the Community at the Alliance’s February 2022 meeting. 

New citizen-led committee formed to leverage potential of southern Indiana

Posted on by Radius Indiana

By: Matt Craig, Director of Crane Community Support for Radius Indiana

 

Local business, financial, and political leaders recently formed a citizen-led committee to expand support for southern Indiana’s military base and support the region’s economic growth.  

The Crane Regional Defense Group (CDRG) was established in 2020 as a grassroots effort to expand community support and advocate for Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) at the local and federal level. Members work with government, industry and military leaders to accelerate regional economic and community development and accelerate the strategic value of Crane. 

CDRG is a subcommittee of the White River Military Coordination Alliance, a community organization that was formed in 2018 to promote positive development and growth in the areas surrounding NSA Crane. 

Our organization has four main objectives:

  1. To educate and inform the businesses, citizens and governments of the region about the economic and cultural benefits of a strong military presence in the region and the importance of supporting regional infrastructure.
  2. To support the expansion of technical and industrial jobs across the full life cycle in Research, Development, Acquisition, Production, Logistics, Depot, Demilitarization, defense-related opportunities as well as the overall growth and diversity of the defense economy in our region.
  3. To provide leadership to facilitate coordination and build consensus on key projects with various entities who have similar interests in maintaining a healthy and stable community, economy and Department of Defense installations in our area.
  4. To serve as a catalyst to assist other government and private organizations in promoting the Logistics, Depot and Production assets at Crane Army Ammunition Activity and the Science and Technology assets at NSWC Crane and in the larger Indiana Uplands communities.

CRDG began meeting regularly in January 2021. In just six months, the committee has appointed an executive committee, established bylaws and membership guidelines, launched membership recruitment, and planned its inaugural event, the 2021 Key Leader Series. 

CRDG is currently accepting registrations for new members. Organizations that join will have opportunities to influence agenda with local defense and community leadership, receive direct briefings on the activities both inside and outside the NSA Crane gates, network with Crane commands and other government agencies, and participate in yearly events. 

Small and large businesses, and businesses that both are and are not involved in the defense industry are welcome to apply.  

To learn more or apply today, visit https://www.craneregionaldefensegroup.org/.