Legislature(1993 - 1994)
03/08/1993 03:30 PM House MLV
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE
MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
March 8, 1993
3:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Rep. Eldon Mulder, Co-Chairman
Rep. Richard Foster, Co-Chairman
Rep. Pete Kott
Rep. Mike Navarre
Rep. Ed Willis
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
OTHER LEGISLATIVE MEMBERS PRESENT
Rep. Brian Porter
Rep. Terry Martin
Sen. Loren Leman
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
Presentation by Lt. General Joseph Ralston
WITNESS REGISTER
LIEUTENANT GENERAL JOSEPH RALSTON
Commander of the Alaskan Command
580 G Street, Suite 101
Elmendorf Air Force Base, AK 99506
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 93-4, SIDE A
Number 000
CHAIRMAN ELDON MULDER called the House Military and Veterans
Affairs Committee to order at 3:50 p.m. on March 8, 1993.
Members present were Rep. Foster, Rep. Kott, Rep. Navarre
and Rep. Willis. Other legislative members present were
Rep. Porter, Rep. Martin and Sen. Leman.
CHAIRMAN MULDER made the following opening statement:
"Lieutenant General Ralston is commander of the Alaskan
Command based at Elmendorf Air Force Base. The Alaskan
Command is subordinate unified command of the U.S. Pacific
Command responsible for the defense of Alaska. General
Ralston also commands the 11th Air Force, Alaskan North
American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Joint Task
Force Alaska when activated to coordinate military support
during natural disasters. He assumed this command in July
of last year.
"The General is a command pilot with more than 2,400
hours, including 147 combat missions over Laos and North
Vietnam. His military awards and decorations include the
Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with two oak
leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying cross with three oak
leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf
clusters, Air Medal with 19 oak leaf clusters and the Air
Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters."
Number 010
LIEUTENANT GENERAL JOSEPH RALSTON gave a brief history of
the role of the military in Alaska. He stated that
Americans are living in a very uncertain world and change
has been rampant for the past three and one-half years. He
stated some of the reductions the military has faced or will
be facing. Lt. General Ralston remarked that the United
States needs to organize their forces in a way that places a
premium on flexibility. Lt. General Ralston noted that
Alaska is the best place to live in the world to give us
flexibility. He stated that recently the improvement in our
combat capability in Alaska came from the way we integrated
our Alaskan Air National Guard Forces with our active duty
forces.
LT. GENERAL RALSTON noted three subjects that were of
importance to the military's role in Alaska: the
environment, housing for military personnel, and schools for
children of military personnel.
(NOTE: A copy of Lt. General Joseph Ralston's speech is on
file in House Special Committee on Military and Veterans
Affairs committee room until the final adjournment of the
second session of the 18th Alaska State Legislature;
thereafter it may be found in the Legislative Reference
Library.)
Number 189
REP. MARTIN asked if Lt. General Ralston was aware of the
Alaskan Housing Authority awarding $58 million for the
Fairbanks contract to build housing.
LT. GENERAL RALSTON responded that he was aware of the
contract to build housing. He said he was appreciative of
the legislature's influence in the matter and the governors'
encouragement. He stated that they did get the guarantee of
the loan to start the project. Lt. General Ralston said
that without that first step, that project would have been
in jeopardy.
Number 194
REP. MARTIN asked if there could be some flexibility in the
standards for military homes compared to civilian homes in
Alaska.
LT. GENERAL RALSTON stated that they had an unfortunate set
of terminology. Lt. General Ralston said that housing in
Alaska is not sub-standard due to poor construction for
military personnel, but military personnel are paying too
high of rent and there is not enough square footage for
living space.
CHAIRMAN MULDER asked Lt. General Ralston how the housing
resolution was received.
LT. GENERAL RALSTON responded that the 801 Housing Project
at Eielson Air Force Base was crucial. He stated that
Anchorage and Fairbanks have set up a task force to help
U.S. Senator Ted Stevens.
CHAIRMAN MULDER stated that we needed to work cooperatively
in relation to the problem with the schools. Chairman
Mulder asked what specific recommendations Lt. General
Ralston had for the legislature.
LT. GENERAL RALSTON commented that he would like the
legislature to be aware that there is a problem, and they
would like to work with the commissioner of Education and
put together a plan of what can be done.
CHAIRMAN MULDER stated that his district was Ft. Richardson,
and one of the schools that the federal government had
committed to funding for improvements has been with held
until next Fridays' decision on base closures.
Number 250
REP. FOSTER asked how the future looked for people in Russia
along the Bering Strait towards Alaska and the United
States.
LT. GENERAL RALSTON stated that he did not know what the
future looked like for that region.
REP. MARTIN asked if the military, in its allocation for
impact to local communities, gives the percentage pertaining
to maintenance of buildings or is it just allocated for
instruction?
LT. GENERAL RALSTON replied that the state is getting a fair
allocation, but as to the percentage for maintenance on
buildings or the amount given to the school district, he was
not sure.
REP. MARTIN stated that a certain amount of that money was
intended to be used for maintenance. Rep. Martin further
stated that maybe we have been negligent in not allowing
that money to be used for maintenance.
LT. GENERAL RALSTON replied that this was something they
could look into.
SEN. LEMAN noted that if the legislature was going to get
into this thing, then it is going to have to leap-frog the
Anchorage school district priority list because it does not
have the Elmendorf schools high on the list. He noted the
reason for that being because the Anchorage school district
assumed that it would be taking care of by somebody else.
Sen. Leman noted that there were also other schools that
needed maintenance and that the Senate Hess Committee was
looking at solutions to these problems. Sen. Leman stated
that time is running out in the session and they should
continue to meet with Commissioner Covey and with
legislators so that they don't lose this thing at the end of
the year.
LT. GENERAL RALSTON commented that they were willing to work
with state officials and local officials to solve this
problem.
Number 270
SEN. LEMAN asked about the number of schools that have
received appropriations to be fixed, or will receive
appropriations to be fixed.
LT. GENERAL RALSTON replied that out of 15 schools there are
10 remaining.
REP. PORTER ask about the reconsolidation of the military.
Lt. GENERAL RALSTON stated that the joint chiefs have worked
very hard on that issue and there is some room for
reconsolidation within the military.
ADJOURNMENT
CHAIRMAN MULDER adjourned the meeting at 4:34 p.m.
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