As published in the June 1, 2012 Toledo Business Journal
Colonel Steven S. Nordhaus
180th Fighter Wing
180th Fighter Wing putting $105M+/yr into local economy
Toledo Business Journal recently interviewed 180th Fighter Wing commander Colonel Steven S. Nordhaus. He shared the following thoughts.
Toledo Business Journal: Can you discuss the economic impact of the 180th Fighter Wing on our region?
Col. Steven Nordhaus: It’s about $105 million per year. Right now that’s about $85 to $90 million through direct support with jobs and our employees. About $15 million is indirect support with jobs dealing with things like people coming out here to construct facilities and work on installations.
TBJ: Can you explain the amount of payroll for both reserve personnel and civilians of the 180th Fighter Wing and the trend of these figures?
SN: The trend of the figures will remain constant over the next few years. I want to mention the base realignment and closing commission (BRAC) which might happen again in 2015. This is the word we’re hearing right now. However, through then it should remain consistent.
It’s about $50 million a year in payroll for our full-time and traditional forces on the base. State employees come in at just a couple hundred thousand.
TBJ: Can you discuss the facilities that the 180th Fighter Wing has put in place and the economic value of these assets in terms of replacement costs?
SN: There are currently about 50 facilities on the base on our 135 acres. That comes to about $267 million in facilities on the base. Recently, we are completing an ammunition storage area, which will be usable in a couple months. That is a $12 million facility. On the horizon is a security force building for about $7 million and a small arms range for about $4 million.
We have some interim facilities which will need to go permanent in the next five to ten years, which will add up to approximately $20 million for the aerospace control alert facility.
TBJ: Can you discuss upcoming plans for new investment in the 180th Fighter Wing facilities and equipment?
SN: The three projects that are upcoming and not on the books currently include a security force complex, which will house our security forces and a small base gym, which is a $7 million cost, and a small firearms range, which is about a $4 million project, and we’re hoping to get that over two to four years.
A longer-range project is our aerospace control alert facilities and to go permanent with those. At the moment, they are interim facilities. To make them permanent will be approximately $20 million, which we hope to go ahead with in the next five to ten years.
Currently, due to the budget, there are very few military construction jobs going on. We will wait until military dollars become available for these projects to go forward.
TBJ: With the winding down of conflicts in both Iraq and Afghanistan, how will this impact the 180th?
SN: The 180th will continue to be tasked with global responses through our active duty and through our federal mission. Even though the conflicts are winding down, across our nation – due to the threat of terrorism and other issues and problems out there – we will continue to see the same demand signal.
The federal mission will stay about the same. We will deploy about every two years to go support theater operations either out to the west or out to the east.
On the State side, we do homeland response force. We are in region five. We can get tasked if there was a large pandemic or natural disaster. We can respond and help. Mainly, it is stabilization and medical so we can assist with the needs of civilians. That will continue to stay at the same level for the State.
In terms of local support, we have fire and emergencies we respond to if required. This is integrated with our local fire department and emergency centers, which will also remain constant. For us, even though things in Iraq are winding down, we will see almost the same demand at the federal, State, and local levels.
TBJ: Can you discuss the economic benefits provided by the Air National Guard vs. active duty Air Force counterparts?
SN: The Air National Guard provides about 35% of the capability for our nation with fighters, tankers, and airlifts. We do it at about 6% of the active duty costs, which is because a lot of our traditional members are not full-time employees. A lot of costs, as business owners know, will come from manpower and payroll, so when our experienced active Air National Guard members are called up (they’re experienced from where they come from and they’re ready to do the mission), we’re at the same operational capability as our active duty counterparts, but we do not have the same cost structure.
Once we’re deployed overseas and we’re full-time, we operate at the same cost structure as active duty, but when we’re sent back home, the cost goes down.
In retirements, it’s about 10% of the cost because our guard members gain points only when they are on duty. When they are ready to retire, they have about a tenth of the pay schedule that an active duty member would have.
TBJ: Is there congressional legislation or planned actions by the Department of Defense that may impact the 180th Fighter Wing?
SN: At this time, Presidential Budget 13 is out there. It is being debated in Congress. Currently, the 180th does not have any direct loss of jobs except for four members in our weather flight. So it is a very small proposed cut to the 180th.
However, it is a very large proposed cut to the State of Ohio with four C-27s from Mansfield, six tankers from Rickenbacker for a total of about 1,000 jobs. The Air National Guard has taken about 5,000 job losses. The State of Ohio alone on the Air National Guard has taken about 20% of the nation’s cuts on the active duty side.
TBJ: What can area employers do to assist and support the work of the National Guard?
SN: First of all, I want to thank everyone from northwest Ohio. The citizens and businesses from the area have been incredible already in their support for the Air National Guard. A few years ago in BRAC 2005 it was “Save the 180th” and there was tremendous support. If the BRAC 2015 happens, which we think it will, we will engage again in those efforts. The $107 million annual average to the local economy is an incredible asset.
We also believe that we bring great capability and great savings to our nation and the local economy here.
Businesses could also help by hiring guardsmen because our guardsmen are incredible employees. They are drug-free, physically fit, disciplined, leadership-focused, and have positive attitudes. We have had a lot of employers come out to the guard and I hear it from employer after employer that though it was difficult for them to send that employee away to Afghanistan or Iraq, when they came back they were an even better employee. That also filters down to other employees and is an opportunity to make a company better and stronger.
Those are things that would benefit not only the employers around here, but would also help protect the 180th. And then any support they can give to our local politicians to talk about how important it is for the 180th to be here in the local area.
TBJ: Are there any other issues that you would like to address?
SN: Our vision is to be the best fighter wing in the world. We have been the first Air Force Aerospace Alert Top Wing for the last two years in a row. This is unprecedented to receive it two years in a row. Generally, once you win an award they are looking to award another wing. That was a fantastic effort by our airmen and the dedication and award they deserve.
We won the first ever Chuck Smith award, which is for environmental safety and occupational heath. They inspected 35 wings around the country and we were the best.
We also won an outstanding unit of the year award in 2010, which is across the nation for all of the active duty Air Forces.
We won the Reduction of Energy Appreciation Award (REAP) award, and Toledo was the best team to date out of all of the active duty Air Force bases worldwide. There were three announced: one was for the guard and reserve component, which was Toledo. The other two were in Minot, North Dakota and Fairford, England. Out of those three, we were the best because of our reduction of energy, solar field, smart windows, and the replacement of our water heaters. Our energy use continues to go down, which also reduces the costs for the taxpayers.