Legislature(2003 - 2004)

05/17/2003 11:45 AM Senate STA

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
               SJR 20-US COAST GUARD ROTC PROGRAM                                                                           
                                                                                                                              
SENATOR  KIM ELTON,  bill sponsor,  stated it  is his belief  that                                                              
everyone  is familiar with  the role  of the  Coast Guard  and the                                                              
notion  of a  ROTC program.  The resolution  encourages the  Coast                                                              
Guard to establish a junior ROTC  program in the Kodiak and Juneau                                                              
high schools.  It would be a  reflection of a high  school program                                                              
that has  been offered in Miami,  Florida for the last  ten years.                                                              
The other component of the program  is to encourage a ROTC program                                                              
at the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS).                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The three areas the Coast Guard Academy  is most interested in are                                                              
management,  marine and  environmental  sciences, and  government.                                                              
All of these are strong programs  at UAS and the Dean of Students,                                                              
Paul Kraft,  thought the program would  be a good match.  He noted                                                              
the Coast Guard  Academy is currently meeting about  half the need                                                              
for officers  and if this were to  happen, it would be  the second                                                              
time the  University of Alaska  has cooperated with  the military.                                                              
The  first was  the  joint  on campus  recreation  center/National                                                              
Guard armory facility.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
He advised  the committee  they might want  to add Betty  Walters,                                                              
Superintendent  of  the Kodiak  Island  School District,  and  Bob                                                              
Meade, Principal of  the Kodiak High School, to the  list of those                                                              
who would receive copies of the resolution.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GARY  STEVENS expressed his  appreciation for  including Ms.                                                              
Walters  and Mr. Meade  because the  Coast Guard  is an  important                                                              
part of the Kodiak community.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR FRED DYSON  made a motion to adopt a  conceptual amendment                                                              
to add  Superintendent Betty  Walters and  Principal Bob  Meade to                                                              
the list  of recipients. There  being no objection,  amendment one                                                              
passed.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  DYSON  asked  what  the  Coast  Guard  population  is  in                                                              
Anchorage.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELTON said he didn't have  that information, but in Juneau                                                              
there are between  250 and 300 active duty Coast  Guard and a huge                                                              
retired  population.  He believes  the  same situation  exists  in                                                              
Kodiak.  That  pool  of  talent could  be  tapped  by  the  school                                                              
district to set up the ROTC program.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR   DYSON  expressed   appreciation   that  the   resolution                                                              
encourages the establishment  of ROTC and Junior  ROTC programs in                                                              
other communities in the state.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GARY  STEVENS estimated  there are  about 1,000 active  duty                                                              
Coast Guard in Kodiak on ships, planes and the base itself.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR JOHN COWDERY  asked if there was any estimate  of how many                                                              
Alaska students might participate.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELTON said  that information isn't available,  but because                                                              
of  the number  of people  that grow  up in  fishing families  and                                                              
families  that are water  transportation  oriented, there  will be                                                              
significant interest.  In Alaska,  the Coast Guard  performs every                                                              
function; the military functions,  the search and rescue functions                                                              
and now the homeland security functions.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COWDERY made a motion to  move CSSJR 20 (STA) and attached                                                              
zero fiscal note  from committee with individual  recommendations.                                                              
There being no objection, it was so ordered.                                                                                    

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