Homestead ARB fuels South Miami-Dade economic growth

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Erik Hofmeyer
  • 482nd Fighter Wing Public Affaris
HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. --  The presence of Homestead Air Reserve base has fueled economic growth in South Miami-Dade County for decades dating back to the Homestead Army Air Field days in the 1940s.

And today, the installation's economic impact is becoming increasingly significant. Homestead ARB is South Miami-Dade County's second largest employer, and $207 million was injected into the local economy in 2007 as a result of the base's operations, according to the base finance office.

This economic boom is about $7 million more than in 2006, and the base's total economic impact has doubled since 2002 with no signs of slowing down, said Col. Dennis Daley, 482nd Fighter Wing special assistant to the commander.

"Homestead ARB has been a mainstay of the South Miami-Dade economy. The base's growth since 2002 is unprecedented, where economic contribution has doubled from $100 million to over $200 million in a mere five years," Colonel Daley said.

Currently, the base employs nearly 1,100 full-time employees who live in the Homestead and south Dade communities, and another 1,200 Air Force reservists who drill monthly at the base. Over 600 full-time individuals are affiliated with the 482nd Fighter Wing, and almost 500 are employed full-time by U.S. Special Operations Command South, U.S. Coast Guard, Florida Air National Guard, Customs and Border Protection and the FBI.

The windfall into the community can also be attributed to several factors including the acquisition of nine F-16 fighter jets reassigned to the 482nd Fighter Wing early last year, which in turn has led to a larger workforce. The nine additional jets were reassigned from other units as part of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) commission, the congressionally authorized process used to reorganize military installations to more effectively support U.S. forces.

The 482nd FW has also been deemed ripe for expansion by the chief of staff of the Air Force.

A squadron of about 150 active-duty Airmen will be reassigned to the base in 2009 to form an "active associate" unit who will work side-by-side with Homestead reservists, pumping an estimated $10 million more into the community, Colonel Daley said.

In an active associate unit, the Reserve owns the aircraft, while the active force provides pilots and maintainers who share the responsibility of flying and maintaining the jets. This blending of active-duty and reserve Airmen falls under the Air Force "Total Force Integration" concept, which calls for increased integration and the sharing of missions among the active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve components.

On Jan. 14, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. T. Michael Moseley, released the Air Force's weapon system "roadmap," a long-term plan for providing Air Force capabilities in the most effective manner to meet national security needs of the future. The plan announced Homestead ARB is a candidate for the Department of Defense's next generation fighter jet, the F-35 Lightning II. The selection process deciding which installations will received the F-35 will be final in the foreseeable future after all environmental analyses and funding issues are resolved.

The military presence also directly impacts the local economy through many subtle, yet important contributions. Auto fleet maintenance, linen and laundry service, purchases from local beverage distributors, grounds maintenance, and contracted electrical, painting and plumbing work are other examples of the direct economic impact on the local community totaling in the millions of dollars.

The base also spends over $500,000 annually on local hotels. Most reservists stay off base in Homestead and Florida City during monthly unit training assemblies, and this doesn't reflect military members who travel to Homestead ARB to perform temporary duty, possibly increasing this amount by another $100,000, Colonel Daley said.

"Due to Air Force initiatives such as Total Force Initiative and possible new units on base, we see our growth doubling again by 2011, providing the local community continues to support base efforts to curb encroachment on the base mission," Colonel Daley said.