HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS January 24, 1994 5:00 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Richard Foster, Co-Chair Representative Eldon Mulder, Co-Chair Representative Pete Kott, Vice Chair Representative Ed Willis MEMBERS ABSENT Representative Mike Navarre OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT Senator Randy Phillips Senator Loren Leman Representative Tom Brice Representative Cliff Davidson COMMITTEE CALENDAR Presentation by Major General Hugh Cox, Commissioner of the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs. WITNESS REGISTER MAJOR GENERAL HUGH COX III The Adjutant General Commissioner Department of Military & Veterans Affairs Alaska National Guard Armory P.O. Box 5800 Ft. Richardson, AK 99505 Phone: 428-6003 Position Statement: Addressed the committee JEFF MORRISON, Director Administrative Services Department of Military & Veterans Affairs P.O. Box 110900 Juneau, AK 99801-0900 Phone: 465-4730 Position Statement: Observer COLONEL JOHN C. FLEMING (RET) AKNG Youth Corps Director P.O. Box 5800 Ft. Richardson, AK 99505 Phone: 428-6067 Position Statement: Addressed the committee MAJOR KEITH OISTAD HQ AKANG/DA P.O. Box 5800 Ft. Richardson, AK 99505 Phone: 428-6904 Position Statement: Observer MRS. ERMA LEE HICKEL Governor's House 716 Calhoun St. Juneau, AK 99801 Phone: 465-3500 Position Statement: Observer NORM ANDERSON King Salmon, AK Position Statement: Listen only on teleconference ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 94-1, SIDE A Number 000 CO-CHAIR ELDON MULDER called the meeting of the House Special Committee on Military & Veterans Affairs to order at 5:10 p.m. Members present were Representatives Foster and Willis. CHAIR MULDER noted for the record that Representative Tom Brice, Representative Cliff Davidson and Senator Randy Phillips were also present at the meeting. Number 005 CHAIR MULDER introduced MAJOR GENERAL HUGH COX, Commissioner of the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs and Commander of the Alaska National Guard and stated that General Cox would discuss a new program that the National Guard has started. CHAIR MULDER introduced the First Lady of Alaska, MRS. ERMA LEE HICKEL, and thanked her for joining the committee today. CHAIR MULDER also noted the presence of IRV MARTIN, Director of Emergency Services; JEFF MORRISON, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) Legislative Liaison, and COLONEL JOHN FLEMING (Ret.), Director of the National Guard Youth Corps. Number 016 CHAIR MULDER commented that MAJOR GENERAL COX is known as a great advocate for the military and the legislature and has been a good friend to the committee. CHAIR MULDER then asked MAJOR GENERAL COX to address the committee. Number 019 MAJOR GENERAL COX thanked MRS. HICKEL for being present at the meeting and stated to the committee that MRS. HICKEL has been very actively supporting the National Guard Youth Corps program. MAJOR GENERAL COX stated that he was before the committee to explain the new program and answer any specific questions that the committee may have. MAJOR GENERAL COX introduced JOHN FLEMING as the Director of the Challenge program. Number 028 MAJOR GENERAL COX explained that the program was started and is funded at the national level. He stated that pilot programs had been performed in a few states with mixed success. The purpose of the program is to try and get troubled youth to be more productive for themselves and their communities. He stated that the way to do this was for the youth to become high school graduates. Major General Cox stated that when you look at the program cost per student in federal dollars and compare it with the fact that 80% of the prison occupants are not high school graduates (Major General Cox stated that he thought the cost of imprisonment was $70,000 per year), the cost of helping these youth achieve a degree, a GED, or further education is much less and that this is the target of the program. MAJOR GENERAL COX stated that he has been working with Alaska's congressional delegation and the National Guard bureau in the Pentagon for a year and a half to get money for this program in Alaska. He said Senator Ted Stevens added the money for the program in FY94 so the program could be expanded to eleven or ten states. Major General Cox then asked John Fleming how many states would have the program. JOHN FLEMING replied that sixteen states would operate the program. MAJOR GENERAL COX then stated that Senator Stevens and Senator Inouye worked to ensure that Alaska and Hawaii would both have this program and that the Alaska National Guard (AKNG) was very grateful. MAJOR GENERAL COX then introduced JOHN FLEMING, Director of the AKNG Youth Corps, to explain the program. Number 049 JOHN FLEMING stated that he appreciated the opportunity to speak to the committee about the AKNG Youth Challenge Program. He stated that the National Guard has undertaken this program for three reasons: (1) the National Guard is in over 4000 communities nationwide and the Guard members have an interest in these communities; (2) the National Guard excels in training people; and (3) all military members take an oath to protect, defend, and uphold the U.S. Constitution from enemies, domestic or foreign. He then stated that two of the largest domestic enemies were ignorance and indolence and through this program the National Guard can help the health of the country and its youth. COLONEL FLEMING explained that the Challenge program was an outgrowth of a study by the Rockefeller Foundation in 1989 with the idea that something could be done for high school dropouts by adding structure and discipline along with community service projects to their lives. He described the criteria that a youngster must meet before they can be accepted into the program: (1) they must be between the ages of 16 and 18; (2) they have to be drug free upon entrance; (3) they have to be free of any legal impediments; (4) they cannot be convicted felons; (5) they must be dropouts from the public school system; (6) they must be unemployed in a life setting career; (7) they have to be physically and mentally able to withstand the rigors of the program; and (8) they have to be volunteers in the program. Number 086 COLONEL FLEMING stated that the program will begin in Anchorage at Camp Caroll on Sunday, January 30, 1994. He said that these youngsters will be in the program for 22 weeks, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. He said that the youth will be living in renovated barracks. He then stated that the youth would be prepared for the GED test, though they will not be required to take the test, and taught a regular high school curriculum. The youth will also have the option of going after a high school diploma at their home high school. He stated that the program would attempt to get credits for the youth's work during the program and then they could take these credits back to their home high school to work towards their diploma. He said that the program will bring in speakers to discuss various vocational fields available in Alaska and that the youth will be taken to a career center for exposure to eight different disciplines including carpentry, masonry, electronics, auto mechanics, small engine maintenance, computer science, greenhouse and cosmetology. He stated that on weekends the youngsters will be involved with community service projects. The youngsters will be matched up with community service groups who need help with various projects. He explained that the youth would work with these groups for two reasons: 1) to get in the spirit of volunteerism; and 2) to get the positive feeling of helping someone who is needy. He stated that the youth would also be taught life-coping skills such as personal cleanliness, CPR and the evils of smoking, drinking, drugs, etc. Number 128 COLONEL FLEMING stated that two programs will be held every year, the first starting on January 30 and graduating on June 30; the second one will start July 24 and will end just before Christmas and then this cycle will be repeated in 1995. He stated that these youngsters will be partnered with a mentor for 12 to 18 months after they complete the residential portion of the program. These mentors will make sure that these youngsters stay focused on the goals that they set for themselves in the program and also will be there to help them with their problems. COLONEL FLEMING said there are 91 or 92 students in the starting program and directed the committee's attention to a handout that showed where these youngsters are coming from. He stated that there are 25 locations around the state from where these youth were recruited and they have missed some key locations, but will try harder to recruit from these communities next time. Colonel Fleming then stated that currently signed up for the program there are 14 male Alaskan Natives, eight female Alaskan Natives, five male Afro-Americans, two Asian-Americans, one Hispanic and the rest are Caucasian. He also noted that there are 16 girls total in the program and that they would be residing in a separate barracks than the males. He said they have a staff of 40 with different ethnic backgrounds. He said some of these youth have some severe emotional problems and so there is a professional counselor on staff to provide help if needed. Colonel Fleming then said he would answer any questions. Number 153 REPRESENTATIVE BRICE asked if they were going to have two camps a year. COLONEL FLEMING replied that they were. REPRESENTATIVE BRICE asked if the program would actually administer the GED test or if they would provide information on where to take the test. COLONEL FLEMING replied that the program has applied to become a GED testing site and he has been told by the State Department of Education in Juneau that this would probably be granted soon enough so that the first class would be able to test on-site. REPRESENTATIVE BRICE asked what would happen if a student successfully completed the program and wanted to join the military, or if there was any connection with this program and joining the National Guard permanently. COLONEL FLEMING answered that this program is not designed as a recruiting program for the military or the National Guard and noted that some of these youth would not be eligible because of their experiences with drugs. Colonel Fleming said that the program is designed to help at-risk youth, but they would exposed to the military, and if these are options that they want to pursue then they pursue them. Number 171 COLONEL FLEMING stated that success in the program is defined by passing the GED or getting a high school diploma and getting through all 22 weeks of the program. Any youngster who accomplishes this will be entitled to a $2200 grant or stipend which they could use for higher education purposes. He said this grant could be used for college, vocational training, or job related expenses. Colonel Fleming also stated that these funds would be distributed through the program. Number 178 REPRESENTATIVE BRICE asked what kind of outreach the National Guard has done with dealing with the DFYS or various school districts around the state about this program. COLONEL FLEMING replied that they included flyers in the annual elementary and high school principals conference; he spoke about it at the DIA conference; and Governor Hickel announced it at the AFN conference. He also said he had personally visited communities around the state to speak to juvenile justice officers, high school officials, counselors and Native groups about the program. He stated it was very easy to sell to the adults in these communities, but difficult to the youths themselves. He also stated that they have approximately 100 youths in the program that have been screened by the adults in their communities to make sure they are in the program for the right reasons. Number 193 CHAIR MULDER asked what the capacity of the program was. COLONEL FLEMING answered that they could house about 130 students, but due to budget changes by the National Guard, they could probably not afford more than 100 students. MAJOR GENERAL COX stated that the concept of the program is that federal funding will hopefully be sustained for three years, after which state and local government, businesses and municipalities will begin to sponsor the program. He noted that the Municipality of Anchorage has already donated $20,000 to the program without the National Guard even asking for it. Number 206 REPRESENTATIVE BRICE asked how much it cost for each student to go through the program. COLONEL FLEMING replied that the average is just over $14,000 per student. He noted that as Major General Cox pointed out, it can cost $70,000 to incarcerate someone for a year and it was the objective of this program to make these students become volunteers, responsible citizens, and be tax payers, not tax users. Number 211 SENATOR PHILLIPS asked what the typical day would be like. COLONEL FLEMING replied that these kids would be in a military style uniform. He stated that they would learn how to care for this uniform and learn how to march. He said that they would awake at 6:00 a.m., then have a few minutes to clean their quarters, attend a flag raising ceremony and then eat breakfast. He said they would then go to class during the morning and early afternoon with a lunch break. He said they would go to the career center for vocational training three days a week. The youth will spend late afternoon doing some sort of athletics and physical training and then have a short time of independent study. In the evening they will be allowed some personal time and they go to bed at 10:00 p.m. Colonel Fleming told the committee that the youths will not be allowed to smoke while they are in the program and that the staff would not be allowed to smoke while they are on Ft. Richardson. Number 235 REPRESENTATIVE BRICE asked if smoking included chewing tobacco. COLONEL FLEMING replied yes. Number 236 SENATOR PHILLIPS asked if there was any way that the students could quit the program. COLONEL FLEMING replied that the program was "volunteer-in" and "volunteer-out," but any youngster that wants to quit must speak to their assistant team leader, their team leader, the counselor, and then to him. He stated that by then they hoped to convince the youth that they were making a mistake. Colonel Fleming also noted that the program would give the youth $15 per week for spending money to help teach money management skills. He said that National Bank of Alaska had volunteered to set up free checking accounts for the participants. SENATOR LEMAN asked how the staff and faculty were selected. COLONEL FLEMING replied that the staff numbered about 40 people and they were regarded as temporary state employees due to the fact the program was federally funded through the state. He said that they required that every employee be in uniform, so it was as close to military as possible. He stated that there are 19 members who are members of the Alaska Army National Guard, seven members who are Air National Guard members, one member of the Navy reserve, and they are currently actively recruiting for a member of the Marine reserve. He stated that there are six retired military members, including himself, and seven members of the Alaska State Defense Force. These members are people who had the correct teaching credentials but had no military experience, so they were placed in the Alaskan State Defense Force for the program. Number 270 SENATOR LEMAN noted that programs such as Junior Achievement have been very successful in tapping volunteers in the business community, and asked if Colonel Fleming had considered this, and that he thought that the community would be eager to help if asked. COLONEL FLEMING replied that they have and that he is concerned about homesickness problems for kids who come from outside of Anchorage. He stated that these kids will have very little contact with their parents throughout the course of the program. He said that after the program gets started, they would allow the parents to visit the kids on a Sunday or actually let the kids leave the base halfway through the program. He stated that they have asked for volunteers in the community who would act as host families for the kids who live outside of Anchorage. He stated they had also asked the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce and other businesses to find people who would volunteer to become speakers, mentors or host families. Number 291 CHAIR MULDER noted for the record that SENATOR LEMAN and REPRESENTATIVE KOTT had joined them. Chair Mulder then asked if there was any further questions for Colonel Fleming. Number 293 CHAIR MULDER stated that Major General Cox had provided the opportunity for legislators to tour National Guard facilities in the state last fall. He noted that it was a great learning experience to see what the National Guard provides in rural Alaska as opposed to its mission in the urban areas of the state. He also commended Colonel Fleming and Major General Cox for a program that provides structure and discipline to some youngsters who need it. Number 304 CHAIR MULDER noted the presence of NORM ANDERSON of King Salmon on teleconference and informed him that he would be able to listen to the meeting only. Chair Mulder also introduced PAT COX, wife of Major General Cox, to the committee. Chair Mulder asked Major General Cox to address the committee on the next topic and introduced MAJOR KEITH OINSTED. MAJOR GENERAL COX stated that MAJOR KEITH OINSTED has been the project officer on the King Salmon project. Major General Cox said that he realized the committee had probably heard that the Alaska Air National Guard would be taking over the operation of the King Salmon Air Base for the 11th Air Force. He said the 11th Air Force has operated an Air Defense Alert facility at King Salmon with approximately 300 people for as long as he could remember. He stated there is a large radar site located there that continues to be used by the FAA and the Air Force. This operation plan was developed from the desire to close bases with some utility, but still keep them ready to become operational on short notice. He said the base would be able to receive aircraft during certain times of bad weather or emergency, or if an air defense threat should occur to the U.S. and Alaska, then it could be brought up to full operational status very quickly. Major General Cox stated that the concept is that the Air National Guard will operate the base for these reasons for the 11th Air Force, other air forces, or other Air National Guard or Army National Guard to utilize for exercise purposes. He said that the Air National Guard will be maintaining all facilities with the exception of the radar, which is contracted to the Martin Marietta Corporation. He said that they will maintain fire protection capability, dining facilities for workers at the station and billeting facilities for those who live there. Number 386 MAJOR GENERAL COX stated that presently there are 14 civilian federal employees at King Salmon Base who will be given hiring preference for similar functions for the state and the National Guard. He explained there will be three uniformed Air Guard supervisory personnel on-site and a combination of approximately 40 state and contractor employees. He said this plan will be 100% federally funded and the money will be funneled to state from the 11th Air Force. Major General Cox also noted that Local 71 would be working very closely with the National Guard to hire people from the King Salmon and the Naknek area. He said they were discussing the possibility of sending a publicity team to go out to the Naknek area to explain the application process for local residents. He said the National Guard would like to contract for the maintenance of the facility as much as possible. Major General Cox stated that they are still working the details out with the 11th Air Force and they were planning to take over on October 1, 1994. He then said that he would be happy to answer any questions. Number 424 SENATOR LEMAN asked, if an extra capacity for maintenance operations is developed in King Salmon, would there be any personnel available for Nome? MAJOR GENERAL COX answered that the idea is to create a workforce that is adequate for the operation at King Salmon. He said there are state maintenance personnel in Anchorage that they send all over the state on a periodic schedule. He stated that if need be, the personnel in King Salmon could be available, but any maintenance on other buildings would be performed by the maintenance technicians already in Anchorage. CHAIR MULDER asked if there were any environmental concerns at King Salmon. MAJOR GENERAL COX replied that there were some problems on the Barrow Bluffs. He said the National Guard does not have any responsibility for these problems; the Air Force still owns the facility and the National Guard is only operating it for them. He said the 11th Air Force has a contractor there already working on the problem. Number 465 CHAIR MULDER commended Major General Cox for working with the unions and the Native groups on local hiring possibilities and also noted that this would be 50 new jobs that will be funded by the federal government, which is a good boost for the state economy. (TAPE MALFUNCTION: continuing testimony is from committee secretary's notes.) JEFF MORRISON said that the budget numbers are not available due to the fact that details are still being finalized with the 11th Air Force. He said the DMVA will try and submit these with the budget amendments in early March 1994. CO-CHAIR FOSTER said there are a number of National Guard Armories that are closing in his district. He asked if any of these closing buildings or their equipment would be available for use by the local communities. MAJOR GENERAL COX answered that he did not know for sure at this time. He explained that some of these buildings are removable, but trying to move these buildings is cost prohibitive from these sites. He said that he would keep the committee informed. MAJOR GENERAL COX said that he and other DMVA representatives would like to meet with the committee in early February before the budget subcommittee process begins to discuss budget issues for the DMVA. CHAIR MULDER indicated that the committee would welcome them. There being no further testimony, Chair Mulder adjourned the meeting at 6:05 p.m.