SJR 22 - ALASKA MILITARY BASES CHAIR MASEK indicated the committee would consider SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 22, "Inviting the United States Department of Defense to select Alaska as the site to base and train military troops." CHRIS NELSON, Staff, Senator Robin Taylor, came forward to testify on SJR 22. This legislation is in response to military base closures and the future of Alaska's military bases. This resolution would send a clear message to the Department of Defense and the Clinton Administration that Alaska is open for business. Alaska has a very robust base structure presently that offers outstanding military value in a changing world environment. The resolution speaks for itself and he hoped it would receive favorable attention. Number 150 REPRESENTATIVE REGGIE JOULE referred to the term "spectrum of conflict" used and its meaning in the resolution. MR. NELSON responded that this term was a military paradigm that is used to analyze operations where they are in a given world situation. The spectrum of conflict ranges from where the United States is today which is peaceful competition between nations through to global, thermal, nuclear war. They speak about putting together a multi-spectrum force which is capable of being organized and deployed to meet any kind of threat, anywhere in the world, at any point in this spectrum of conflict, from low intensity conflict up to mid-intensity conflict (which was fought in the Persian Gulf with heavy mechanized forces and combined arms with large formations), on up to the ultimate. Number 228 REPRESENTATIVE JOULE asked that if more military was attracted to Alaska for training would this mean Alaska would become more of a target. MR. NELSON responded that he didn't think so. If forces are rotated in and out of the state, there would not be much of an infrastructure to attack. They do not propose to expand the infrastructure, but use to a fuller capacity the infrastructure that currently exists. Alaska lost their division here. The sixth Infantry Division was inactivated in 1995 and Alaska was left with a single infantry brigade, a single airborne battalion on Fort Richardson capable of housing a division if necessary. He didn't think that increasing their forces would make Alaska anymore of a target than it is currently. He noted that their existing Air Force installation is a lucrative target presently. Number 330 REPRESENTATIVE ELDON MULDER also noted that in the event of a conflict, most of Alaska's personnel would have already been deployed and he pointed out that Alaska's biggest target, the oil pipeline, already exists. An attack on the pipeline would cripple the United States in the long term. REPRESENTATIVE JOULE added that he didn't disagree with the resolution, but he worried about the amounts of people relocated to the state and how this would change Alaska's representation made up through reapportionment. Number 454 MR. NELSON responded that what they'd probably see in the next reapportionment is an adjustment in representation because they have lost so many people. Alaska lost 2,000 solders and approximately 3,000 dependents for a total loss of 5,000 off the Fort Richardson military reservation when the division stood down. If they can encourage people to come back up then they will probably see more of a restoration of their previous status. A problem exists in the entire base picture which is that they have no aligned base structure with their reductions in force structure. From the army's standpoint they went from 16 active component divisions in 1988 to 10 active component divisions today. The federal government might take down one more division, although they can't decide which one. MR. NELSON continued that the United States has gone from 890,000 soldiers on active duty in the army in 1988 to 495,000 in the active component serving today. There has been these massive reductions in force structure yet the United States has 12 maneuver bases which means they have enough range area capable of supporting a division. Out of the ten remaining divisions worldwide only seven of them are based in the United States. Two of them are in Germany and one in Korea. Twelve of these maneuver bases are capable of supporting a division. Two of them are in Alaska, Fort Wainwright and Fort Richardson. There are only seven divisions and this is part of the problem. There is real pressure to take out more maneuver bases. Senator Stevens has been one of the people visionary enough to oppose this. This need may not be immediate, but in some point in time the army will need maneuver bases. In the future the United States will be so urbanized that they won't be able to find these areas and get them back up. Number 612 REPRESENTATIVE MULDER thought there was an additional reason to justify attracting new troops to Alaska. There is a lot of pressure on the armed guards, the armory and air force in relation to downsizing. He believed that if they continued to see the army and air force presence diminished the justification will be lost for the need for a good army and air guard in Alaska as well. They certainly work as a triad in the state. If there is a healthy military component in the army guard this in turn helps rural Alaska. He noted that the air and army guard are much more than just a military presence. Number 703 REPRESENTATIVE JOE RYAN added that the type of air space needed to do the type of training required in the Lower 48 almost doesn't exist any longer. Alaska has the component of uncontrolled air space that can be made in military operation areas. This would be the type of training needed in low level support situations. He noted the simulated warfare opportunities because of the terrain in Alaska. Number 781 REPRESENTATIVE RYAN moved and asked unanimous consent to move SJR 22 out of committee with individual recommendations and accompanying zero fiscal note. Hearing no objection, HJR 22 was moved out of the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. REPRESENTATIVE RICHARD FOSTER made mention that he and Representative Ivan Ivan had been added as co-sponsors to this bill. He also asked about some of the representatives taking tours of Alaska's bases during the interim. This request would be researched.