Defense Legislation Good for America, Tucson
By: U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) & Jay Bickley, President of DM-50
This week Congress passed legislation that fulfills one of its constitutionally enumerated powers: H.R. 2670, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA is a crucial piece of legislation passed annually to support our men and women in uniform, outline our national security priorities, and ensure we have the most lethal fighting force in the world.
The package achieves two significant goals: strengthening our armed forces and solidifying Arizona’s critical role in our nation’s defense. The bill represents a bipartisan and bicameral agreement to invest in our military so we can continue to quickly and decisively counter current and future threats.
That investment — nearly $9 billion — is one of the largest annual expenditures our government makes. It should be. The threats we face as a nation are real and the NDAA sends a clear message to our friends and foes alike about the priority we place on national defense.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that many of those investments will be made in Tucson. As the home of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and Morris Air National Guard Base, Tucson is a proud military town. Our close and longstanding relationship with these two facilities helps define our community and drive our economy.
According to the recently released Military Economic Impact Report, nearly one out of every 40 jobs in Arizona can be traced to our military installations and their operations. The enormous economic boost provided by DMAFB and Morris to Tucson and Pima County is beyond question. The most recent numbers show that these facilities have an economic impact of over $3.5 billion annually, and DMAFB alone accounts for a large portion of the more than 78,000 jobs that military installations generate statewide.
And let’s not forget that the men and women stationed at DMAFB and Morris are woven into the fabric of our community. They are our neighbors. Their kids go to school with our kids. They pay the same local and state taxes we do. They root for the Wildcats. They get into the Christmas spirit at the Winterhaven Festival of Lights.
In our view, the mutual benefits of the symbiotic relationship between our military installations and our communities goes well beyond economics. It’s about something far deeper. And it makes Arizona an example for other states to emulate.
While the NDAA helps ensure the continuation of this relationship, it doesn’t mean we can kick back and take it for granted.
For years, DMAFB was known as the home of the A-10 Thunderbolt, the single-seat attack fighter that has been in service since 1976. Those days are drawing to a close. As this plane is phased out over the next five years, it is critical that we continue to closely coordinate with Air Force leadership and advocate for future missions at DMAFB.
The current plan — to establish a Special Operations Power Projection Wing at DMAFB, as well as increase the number of rescue assets at the base — is very encouraging. But it’s still just a plan. It is more important than ever that we as a community strongly advocate for its full implementation. The NDAA sets the stage for DMAFB’s next chapter.
We also shouldn’t ignore the provisions in the NDAA that will impact everyone in uniform, regardless of where they’re stationed. These include the largest service member pay raise in 20 years; long overdue investments in military housing and schools for military families; and funding to help the military meet its recruitment and retention goals.
As with any piece of legislation, the NDAA isn’t perfect. But its passage will put our nation in a much better position to defend our shores, protect our way of life and stand up for our vital strategic interests around the globe. Tucson’s role in that effort should be a point of pride for all of us.