Legislation does not authorize BRAC; Requires DOD to develop strategy for industrial bases

Washington, D.C. - Congressmen Dave Loebsack (IA-02) and Bobby Schilling (IL-17) announced today that the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act does not authorize additional rounds of Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) in either FY 2013 or FY 2015 as had been called for by the Department of Defense (DOD).  The Congressmen also were successful in adding a provision to the committee report that directs the DOD to identify the critical manufacturing capabilities provided by arsenals and determine the amount of work that is required to maintain them in peacetime.

"One of the greatest assets provided by the arsenals is an ability to readily surge manufacturing capacity and to quickly and efficiently manufacture needed items.  That capability has proven essential time and again to our ability to supply our troops rapidly with the equipment they need.  It is essential that the arsenals maintain the ability to respond to a national security emergency and that we maintain our ability to rapidly equip our troops for a future contingency," said Loebsack. "I strongly question the wisdom of BRAC rounds at this time and their impact on our national security.  I was proud to vote to ensure they were not included in this bill and to work with Congressman Schilling on these provisions."

"Arsenals like ours in Rock Island have repeatedly proven their worth to our national security over the years," Schilling said. "I'm pleased that we are building this year on our successes of last year, and also pleased that this defense bill does not include any BRAC-authorizing language.  It is absolutely critical to keep the industrial base warm and ready in order to secure its future, and I appreciate the opportunity to work with Congressman Loebsack in protecting the interests of the Quad Cities and the Rock Island Arsenal.  I am hopeful that our colleagues in the Senate will work to include provisions supporting the arsenal in their defense package, and that they will support the final package when it comes before them for a vote."

The Department of Defense's FY 2013 budget request included a request for authorization to carry out two rounds of BRAC - one in FY 2013 and one in FY 2015.  The House Armed Services Committee's FY2013 National Defense Authorization Act explicitly prohibits the use of funds for a BRAC in FY 2013 and does not authorize BRAC in FY 2015, helping reassure Rock Island Arsenal's employees that there is not Congressional support for the BRAC process to move forward.

The language Congressmen Loebsack and Schilling included will help ensure DOD recognizes the critical manufacturing work done at facilities like the Rock Island Arsenal, and reviews how to maintain those skills and therefore the people who do the work.  By requiring arsenals' manufacturing capabilities to be part of the national security strategy, the Congressmen worked to push the DOD to review and recognize arsenals as a critical part of our national security.

DES MOINES, IA (05/09/2012)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald's comments in a letter to the editor released statewide last week regarding college affordability is part of a blog posted on the White House website. To read the entire blog, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/05/08/iowa-state-treasurer-michael-fitzgerald-let-s-invest-our-youth-don-t-double-their-ra.

"This is quite an honor to have the President and his staff take quotes from my recent letter to the editor," Fitzgerald stated. "I have worked for years helping families make college affordable by saving through College Savings Iowa. But not all families can save for all expenses and many students turn to student loans. We need to ensure that those students do not pay an additional price."

You can read the Treasurer's entire letter to the editor by going to iowatreasurer.gov.

Van Nuys, CA--May 9, 2012 -- With hundreds of eager volunteers looking on at the California Army National Guard Armory this past Saturday, May 5, Operation Gratitude founder, Carolyn Blashek, announced the launch of "March to a Million" -- an  historic new campaign highlighting the non-profit organization's journey to a once-deemed-impossible milestone: Sending one million individually-addressed care packages to deployed troops, military children, wounded warriors, veterans and emergency first responders.

"Every aspect of Operation Gratitude's work now and going forward is a step in the march toward sending the millionth package," explained Blashek. "Every volunteer hour, every dollar donated, every letter written, every scarf or survival bracelet made by hand, every item collected is in pursuit of our March to a Million packages," she said, adding, "We need your help to get there!"

As part of the March to a Million (M2M) campaign, Operation Gratitude, with assistance from the digital media firm, Brand Knew, launched a comprehensive web refresh, including the organization's main site, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and Twitter (using the #March2aMill hashtag) sites.

"Social media is an incredibly powerful tool that allows every American, no matter where they live or how busy their schedules are, to be an important part of Operation Gratitude's historic March to a Million campaign," said Brand Knew CEO Zach Suchin.  "The M2M campaign represents the best of the collective human spirit, and all of these social components enable this important initiative to live well beyond the confines of a single armory."

"And we truly are making history!" Blashek added. "No other military support organization has ever delivered as many personalized care packages to the Military Community as Operation Gratitude," she said.

Blashek also spoke about Operation Gratitude's special Milestone Gifts donated by corporate partners over the years.  Exciting plans for the upcoming 
Millionth Care Package are already in the works.  Companies wishing to participate as Sponsors of the campaign or as gift contributors should contact Carolyn Blashek: Carolyn@OperationGratitude.com.

Every person who donates a minimum of $15 to the March to a Million campaign will receive a special commemorative gift.

About Operation Gratitude

Operation Gratitude annually sends 100,000+ care packages filled with snacks, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed in harm's way, to their children left behind, to military families and veterans in financial distress due to unemployment, to emergency first responders and to Wounded Warriors recuperating in transition units. The organization's mission is to lift morale, bring a smile to a service member's face and express to our Armed Forces the appreciation and support of the American people. Each package contains donated product valued at ~$125 and costs the organization $15 to assemble and ship. For safety and security, assembling of packages occurs at the Army National Guard armory in Van Nuys, California. Since its inception in 2003, Operation Gratitude volunteers have shipped more than 785,000 packages to American Military members and their children.