Legislature(2023 - 2024)GRUENBERG 120
04/20/2023 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Overview(s): Alaska Air National Guard | |
| HB155 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | HB 155 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS
April 20, 2023
1:04 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Stanley Wright, Chair
Representative Laddie Shaw
Representative George Rauscher
Representative Dan Saddler
Representative Cliff Groh
Representative Andrew Gray
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Ben Carpenter
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
OVERVIEW(S): ALASKA AIR NATIONAL GUARD
- HEARD
HOUSE BILL NO. 155
"An Act establishing the Alaska Military Affairs Commission; and
relating to the duties and powers of the Alaska Military Affairs
Commission."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 155
SHORT TITLE: ESTABLISH AK MILITARY AFFAIRS COMMISSION
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) STAPP
04/10/23 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/10/23 (H) MLV
04/20/23 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
WITNESS REGISTER
BRIAN KILE, Brigadier General, Commander
Alaska Air National Guard
Joint Base ElmendorfRichardson
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided the Alaska Air National Guard
overview.
REPRESENTATIVE WILL STAPP
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As the prime sponsor, presented HB 155.
BRYCE WARD, Mayor
Fairbanks North Star Borough
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided invited testimony on HB 155.
NOLAN KLOUDA, Executive Director
Center for Economic Development
University of Alaska Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided a PowerPoint presentation, titled
"Economic Impacts of the Military in Alaska" during the hearing
on HB 155.
HONOUR MILLER-AUSTIN, Staff
Representative Will Stapp
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: On behalf of Representative Stapp, prime
sponsor, provided the sectional analysis on HB 155 and answered
questions.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:04:41 PM
CHAIR STANLEY WRIGHT called the House Special Committee on
Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting to order at 1:04 p.m.
Representatives Shaw, Saddler, and Wright were present at the
call to order. Representatives Rauscher, Groh, and Gray arrived
as the meeting was in progress.
^OVERVIEW(S): Alaska Air National Guard
OVERVIEW(S): Alaska Air National Guard
1:05:48 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT announced that the first order of business would be
the Alaska Air National Guard overview.
1:05:59 PM
BRIAN KILE, Brigadier General, Commander, Alaska Air National
Guard, Joint Base ElmendorfRichardson (JBER), presented a video
recording about the Alaska Air National Guard (AK ANG) to the
committee. He gave a PowerPoint presentation, titled "Overview
of the Alaska Air National Guard" [hard copy included in the
committee packet]. On slide 2, he explained that the overview
would cover AK ANG's key leaders, organization, assets,
personnel, and operations. He moved to slide 3 to outline AK
ANG's organizational structure, stating that it is under the
Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of the Department of
Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA). He moved to slide 4 and
slide 5 to outline the key leaders, assets, and personnel of AK
ANG, 168th Wing. He stated that there are 825 airmen within the
168th Wing located at Eielson Air Force Base and 126 personnel
at a geographically separated unit at the Clear Space Force
Station. He explained that the main mission of the 168th Wing
is aerial refueling, with eight KC-135 tankers. He said the
guard is working toward being an "active association," which
would grant it four more additional KC-135s and 230 active-duty
air force. He said the guard would take ownership of the
additional aircraft at the end of 2023.
BRIGADIER GENERAL KILE stated that another mission of the 168th
Wing is space warning, which monitors above atmospheric air
space for ballistic missiles, as well as for earth orbiting
objects. He stated that DMVA and the Joint Force Headquarters
of the AKANG are located at Joint Base Richardson. He said that
the 176th Wing is located on the Elmendorf side of JBER. He
explained that the 168th Wing monitors Alaska air space for
aircraft and ballistic missiles. He said that the 144th
Strategic Airlift Squadron has eight C-17s that can deliver
personnel and equipment anywhere in the world, especially with
support from the KC-135 refueling craft. He explained that also
at JBER is the "Rescue Triad" which contains three rescue
squadrons. He stated that the 212th Rescue Squadron contains
para-rescuers, combat rescue officers, and survival specialists,
while the other two squadrons deliver to rescue survivors on
scene. He said the guard has 4 AC-130J Hercules aircrafts,
which can conduct air drops, helicopter air refueling, and
tactical air lifts. Further, the guard has 6 HH-60G Pave Hawks
aircrafts. He moved to slide 6 and shared that 70 percent of AK
ANG members work 24/7 during missions. These missions include
air refueling, Alaska North American Aerospace Defense Command
Region tanker alerts, missile warnings, strategic airlifts,
search and rescue, and air defense.
1:17:14 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER, concerning refueling missions,
questioned whether the guard's KC-135s will be upgraded.
BRIGADIER GENERAL KILE explained that there is an effort to
transition KC-135s to KC-46s; however, Alaska is not on the list
to receive these. He commented that AK ANG is working through
its national representatives to make Alaska part of the
transition program. He shared that KC-135s were manufactured
from 1958 to 1962, and an upgrade is needed.
1:18:26 PM
BRIGADIER GENERAL KILE spoke about the guard's search and rescue
operations. He explained that AK ANG works with the Alaska
Rescue Coordination Center, located at JBER, which manages
aviation and military rescues in Alaska. Further, the center
works with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and serves
as the coordinating unit with the Alaska State Troopers. For
maritime search and rescue operations, AK ANG works with the
U.S. Coast Guard District 17. He stated that the average annual
mission count is about 100, and this has been since 1993. He
noted the changes that technology has brought, for example, the
use of satellite phones and tracking devices.
1:20:00 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER acknowledged the current workforce
challenges in Alaska. He questioned recruitment and retention
in the guard.
BRIGADIER GENERAL KILE answered that the guard has a 90 percent
fill rate, with 88 percent at Eielson and 92 percent at JBER.
He said that nationally there is a lower percentage of those
qualified to join service. In Alaska, of the 18 percent that
are qualified to serve, a large portion are interested in
active-duty service, but this takes them outside of the state.
He said AKANG does attempt to recruit high school students, but
the majority of the members are those that were transferred to
Alaska, stayed in the state, and joined after active duty-
service. He reported that yearly around 100 to 120 members
transition from active duty to AKANG.
1:22:08 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT asked about the mission of the tankers that are
coming to Alaska.
BRIGADIER GENERAL KILE answered that AK ANG has 8 aging KC-135
planes and will be getting four more. He explained that in a
refueling mission, if an aircraft enters Alaska air space
without a flight plan, AK ANG members must be able to respond at
a moment's notice, and these members would live and sleep in a
bunker at the airfield. He noted that there are complications,
like the age of the aircraft and the below 40-degree weather,
and these planes require many maintainers to keep them running.
He said the guard is also seeking upgraded hanger space.
1:23:48 PM
BRIGADIER GENERAL KILE, in response to a question from
Representative Gray, explained that the lack of qualified people
to serve exists because of the [low] Armed Services Vocational
Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) scores, the drugs prescribed to
individuals when they were young, and some disqualifying
injuries. He said that the policies concerning tattoos are
being adjusted. He said that overall, there are many health-
related issues related to whether a person is qualified to
enlist in the military.
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY pointed out an article in the Military
Times, as it had suggested electronic military records are
making the recruitment issues around injuries worse. He
acknowledged that he is not speaking on behalf of the U.S.
Department of Defense (DoD). He offered his understanding that
in the past recruiters had determined a person's ability to
serve; however, now with electronic medical records, this does
not exist.
BRIGADIER GENERAL KILE prefaced that he is not speaking for DoD.
He said that tracking a person's medical records electronically,
rather than via paper, would give more fidelity into someone's
entry.
1:26:27 PM
BRIGADIER GENERAL BRIAN KILE, in response to a question from
Representative Groh, spoke about ASVAB, which is a written
standardized test that measures vocational skills, including
reading, writing, and general mechanics. He stated that the
military requires a minimum score on the test in order to enter
service. He said he could not speak to why the scores are
lower, but he noted lower scores have become a barrier to some
wishing to join the military, and fewer people are taking the
test.
1:29:11 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER referred to legislation that sought to
expunge the record of minor misdemeanor marijuana possessions.
He asked if such an act would inhibit or encourage enlistment.
BRIDGADIER GENERAL KILE, in response, confirmed that if a
misdemeanor was expunged from the record of a minor, the
military would not have a record of the misdemeanor; therefore,
the record would not be cause for disqualification.
1:30:40 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 1:30 p.m. to 1:32 p.m.
HB 155-ESTABLISH AK MILITARY AFFAIRS COMMISSION
1:32:00 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 155, "An Act establishing the Alaska Military
Affairs Commission; and relating to the duties and powers of the
Alaska Military Affairs Commission."
1:32:33 PM
REPRESENTATIVE WILL STAPP, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, introduced HB 155. He stated that his staff and
invited testifiers would speak to the proposed legislation.
1:34:10 PM
BRYCE WARD, Mayor, Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB), gave
invited testimony on HB 155. He began by reviewing the military
affairs offices in other states. He informed members that
states with active and aggressive military affairs offices
report gains in the economy due to focused attention on the
defense industry. He explained that these offices originate
from the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, and work
in an advocacy role for the state's economy, as it relates to
the military industry. He pointed out that officials in states
who are able to work with their governors cite access and
authority as an advantage of the commission. He explained that
other offices fulfill missions through cabinet level positions
across state offices. He noted that some the offices have also
been independent.
MR. WARD stated that HB 155 would create the Alaska Military
Affairs Commission, which would be run through the governor's
office. He stated that in conjunction with the Department of
Military and Veterans' Affairs (DMVA), the mission of the
commission would be to facilitate communication between bases
and activities of the surrounding community; provide a
centralized resource for state officials, installation
commanders, and business community members; provide outreach to
troops, families, and the general public; help to prepare for
future installation; address encroachment, transportation, as
well as quality of life concerns of military families; boost the
defense industry by increasing defense expenditures; and recruit
local businesses in promoting the importance of the military to
the state's well-being. He explained that the proposed
commission would ensure that state and congressional leadership
are coordinated in efforts to support the defense industry, as
well as the state's military affairs as an enterprise. He
pointed out the renewed focus on the Arctic and in Alaska, with
developments in Arctic strategies being done in every branch of
the military. He said that FNSB has been engaged in military
discussions across the country, noting that the state has been
absent from these conversations. He pointed out the abundance
of military engagement in Alaska and stated that the borough
alone is unable to entirely speak on the state's behalf. He
said that this notably regards coastal issues.
1:37:54 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY asked whether Mayor Ward believes HB 155
would alleviate housing needs.
MR. WARD responded that having a statewide coordinated effort
would help alleviate such needs, and a statewide military
affairs commission could help solve this.
1:39:34 PM
NOLAN KLOUDA, Executive Director, Center for Economic
Development (CED), University of Alaska Anchorage, gave a
PowerPoint presentation, titled "Economic Impacts of the
Military in Alaska" [hard copy included in the committee
packet]. On slide 1, he explained that from 2019 to 2021 CED
led a "deep dive" look into the military in Alaska to understand
its impact on the state. He moved to slide 2 and said the
presentation would provide the recommendations from this
investigation, which include the proposed structure in HB 155.
He moved to slide 3 and said that Alaska's seafood, tourism,
mining, and oil and gas industries each have associations and
groups that advocate on behalf of the industry and report on the
number of jobs each industry has created. On slide 4, he showed
that between 2019 and 2020 the oil and gas industry has created
77,600 jobs, the mining industry has created 9,200 jobs, and the
seafood industry has created 58,700 jobs. Moving to slide 5, he
pointed out that in this timeframe the military presence in
Alaska had resulted in 58,000 total jobs, with 33,400 of these
being civilian jobs. He stated that these numbers represent 1
in 10 civilian jobs and 1 in 6 total jobs in the state. He
pointed out that this figure is bigger than any other industry,
except oil and gas. He moved to slide 6 to show a breakdown of
the jobs in the state associated with the military.
MR. KLOUDA moved to slide 7 to highlight the military's major
economic impact in Interior Alaska, as one-third of all the jobs
are tied to the military. He said the one-third figure
represents just the military civilian jobs, and the ratio could
be higher if accounting for direct military members. On slide
8, he said that 1 in every 10 jobs within the Anchorage and
Matanuska-Susitna Borough area are tied to the military, with
30,000 total jobs. He continued that there is military spending
in every borough of Alaska, with only one borough not having
this spending in the last two to three years. He pointed out
that the military has a large impact on Alaska but does not
necessarily have advocacy on its own behalf.
1:44:03 PM
MR. KLOUDA moved to slide 9 and slide 10 to present suggestions
from a consultant. It was recommended that a statewide military
coalition/alliance be established through state legislation,
while also creating an office of military affairs within the
state government. He noted that HB 155 addresses this
recommendation. He outlined that members of a military
coalition/alliance should be identified by statute and/or
appointed by the governor; represent military communities and
associated constituencies; include private sector
representation; meet regularly to discuss and act on the key
issues impacting Alaska's military and defense sector; and build
continuity between gubernatorial administrations.
MR. KLOUDA moved to slide 11 and outlined the coalition's
mission and activities, which include: advocating to Congress
and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) in support of Alaska's
military installations, missions, and defense sector; advising
the governor and the legislature on defense and military issues
in the state; developing strategies to protect the state's
existing military missions, while positioning Alaska to compete
for new military missions and defense industries; and
identifying public infrastructure needs by recommending programs
that support the retention and expansion of military
installations, missions, and the defense sector. In reference
to Representative Gray's question as to whether the group would
be able to address housing issues, he expressed the belief this
coalition could be important in channeling a discussion around
the needs of an installation or expanded mission.
MR. KLOUDA moved to slide 12 to further outline the coalition's
proposed mission and activities, which include: reviewing state
policies to support military installations and maximize economic
benefits to local communities; making policy recommendations to
improve the quality of life for uniformed service members,
veterans, and their families; and expanding connections and
collaboration between the state's businesses, universities,
business organizations, and installations. He said that one of
the other recommendations is that the proposed coalition should
not be housed within the Alaska Office of Veterans Affairs, but
rather housed within the Office of the Governor or the
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development.
MR. KLOUDA, on slide 13, explained that the Arctic strategies
implemented by DoD and the U.S. Coast Guard have many
implications for Alaska. He recommended that work be done by
the state to attract missions, such as having the home port of
icebreakers be the state.
1:48:37 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY, referring to slide 10, asked whether, in
putting together the proposed military coalition, there would be
room for geographic representation.
MR. KLOUDA answered that geographic representation would be
important.
1:50:31 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STAPP suggested that Alaska stands at the
precipice of a new geopolitical reality, as new threats emerge
from Asia. He explained that the purpose of a military
commission would include capitalizing on all DoD investments in
Alaska. He maintained that the state would need the right tools
and people in place to be able to capitalize on future
opportunities, and Alaska should have a seat at the table in
this process.
1:52:55 PM
HONOUR MILLER-AUSTIN, Staff, Representative Will Stapp, Alaska
State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Stapp, prime
sponsor, gave the sectional analysis for HB 155 [copy included
in the committee packet], which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
Section 1
• Establishes the Alaska Military Affairs Commission
in the Office of the Governor
• Defines the Commission membership to include nine
voting members.
• Sets (staggered) three-year member terms.
• Details Commission meetings, quorum rules, and
authorizes per diem and travel expenses.
• Enumerates the duties of the Commission.
Section 2
• Sunsets the Alaska Military Affairs Commission on
June 30, 2030.
Section 3
• Adds uncodified law regarding the initial terms of
Alaska Military Affairs Commission members.
1:54:29 PM
MS. MILLER-AUSTIN, after being asked to clarify an acronym,
explained that ACAST stands for Alaska Civilian Armed Services
Team. She further explained that ACAST operates under
Administrative Order 291, which was issued in 2017 under
Governor Bill Walker.
1:55:14 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked how the proposed Alaska Military
Affairs Commission would fit in alongside the existing House
Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs, Joint Armed
Services Committee, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs,
Fairbanks Tiger Team, and Anchorage Chamber of Commerce's
Military Affairs Committee.
REPRESENTATIVE STAPP answered that the purpose of HB 155 would
be to unify all of these aspects. He said the proposed
commission is modeled after the Fairbanks Tiger Team, and this
concept would be taken statewide in order to create a unified
approach, facilitating all the pieces in industrial and economic
development. He elaborated that the committee would not only
harness the economic and industrial potential of continued DoD
investment, but it would also help ensure that a pathway toward
civilian life in Alaska is created for those stationed in the
state. In response to a follow-up question, he stated that
there are other examples in the country, as the proposed
commission would not be unique to Alaska, and the state is
"behind the curve."
1:57:32 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT stated that he has worked across state lines with
many individuals, and the proposed commission model is something
that is critical in other states. He thanked the bill sponsor
for drafting HB 155.
1:58:16 PM
MS. MILLER-AUSTIN addressed Representative Saddler's question
and offered her understanding that other states have already
established military affairs commissions.
REPRESENTATIVE STAPP added that states with large military
installations already have systems set up. He pointed out that
Alaska has the largest military presence in the country.
1:59:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY expressed strong support for HB 155;
however, he expressed concern about bringing a large amount of
service members to Eielson Air Force Base.
REPRESENTATIVE STAPP responded that issues of housing at Eielson
Air Force Base have not had statewide recognition. He explained
that the geographical areas in the state are often not aware of
issues in other regions in the state. He suggested that if the
proposed commission were in place, such a regional disparity
would be dealt with at a statewide level.
2:01:13 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GROH expressed support for HB 155. He referred
to language in the bill on page 2, lines 16 and 17, concerning
members serving staggered terms. He expressed the understanding
that the terms must start at different lengths in order to be
considered staggered. He asked how this process would work.
REPRESENTATIVE STAPP expressed the understanding that all the
members of the proposed commission would start at the same time,
with reappointments done in a staggered fashion.
2:02:35 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT, from previous experience on boards and
commissions, suggested that members would be appointed with
either a two-year term or three-year term.
2:02:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GROH asked if this would mean that the person who
appoints the members of the commission would select the term
lengths.
MS. MILLER-AUSTIN directed attention to page 3, line 30 of the
proposed legislation.
REPRESENTATIVE GROH pointed out that the commission would be set
to meet quarterly, or as the chair directs. He asked if this
would be adequate.
MS. MILLER-AUSTIN responded that meeting quarterly is adequate.
She noted that there would be no limit on the number of times
the commission could meet.
2:04:30 PM
MS. MILLER-AUSTIN, in response to Representative Gray, explained
that the members would be chosen by the governor and could be
reappointed.
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY asked whether members could serve forever if
governors kept reappointing them.
MS. MILLER-AUSTIN deferred to Representative Stapp.
2:05:49 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STAPP confirmed that the governor could reappoint
members in perpetuity.
2:06:23 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SHAW likened reappointments to being a
legislator; one could be elected forever, as long as the people
he/she works for are happy.
[HB 155 was held over.]
2:06:59 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting was
adjourned at 2:07 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 155 Fiscal Note - GOV 4.14.23.pdf |
HMLV 4/20/2023 1:00:00 PM |
HB 155 |
| HB 155 Sectional Summary.pdf |
HMLV 4/20/2023 1:00:00 PM |
HB 155 |
| HB 155 Supporitng Documents AMAC-ACAST-JASC Summary Comparison_v.1.pdf |
HMLV 4/20/2023 1:00:00 PM |
HB 155 |
| HB 155 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HMLV 4/20/2023 1:00:00 PM SFIN 4/23/2024 1:30:00 PM |
HB 155 |
| HB 155 Presentation 4.18.23.pdf |
HMLV 4/20/2023 1:00:00 PM |
HB 155 |
| HB 155 Supporting Documents FY2021 Defense Spending_AK.pdf |
HMLV 4/20/2023 1:00:00 PM |
HB 155 |
| HB 155 ver A.PDF |
HMLV 4/20/2023 1:00:00 PM |
HB 155 |
| DMVA Air Presentation for (H) MVA 4.20.23.pdf |
HMLV 4/20/2023 1:00:00 PM |
|
| HB 155 Presentation - Economic Impacts of the Military in Alaska 4.20.23.pdf |
HMLV 4/20/2023 1:00:00 PM |
HB 155 |
| AK Air National Guard Video 4.20.23.mp4 |
HMLV 4/20/2023 1:00:00 PM |