Category Archive: Military Bastion

Jan
30

SmartRegion.org on Hiatus

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on hiatus test patternBrought to you by the Hampton Roads Partnership since 2008, SmartRegion.org, the blog and its accompanying monthly e-Newsletter, is on hiatus.

Stay informed with essentials for your inbox through our recommended bloggers, bookmarked organizations, the region’s communities and traditional news sources (via the website links provided on the left-hand sidebar).

Regional News:

And if innovation is on your mind, our favorites:

Questions? Contact@HRP.org.

Need to reach our former editor? She’s on LinkedIn.

 

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Jan
12

HRPDC issues special report on Changing Defense Priorities

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On January 5th President Barack Obama released a review of defense priorities to guide spending over the next decade, indicating that the U.S. should use the opportunity presented by the drawdown of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan to invest in a leaner military and in future capabilities.

As with every function of government, budget pressures are leading both the legislative and executive branches to review the level of defense spending, as well as the efficiency of defense spending. There is consensus that the Navy and Air Force will be less significantly impacted than the ground forces of the Army and the Marines which could be decreased by as
much as 15—35% after the end of the current conflicts; this shift would have a much smaller impact on the Hampton Roads economy than a proposed across the board cut.

Economists have noted that a reduction in defense expenditures (both regional and national) will reduce the amount of innovation that has been tied to defense research and development. A recent article in the New York Times highlighted…read the complete report at Link to HRPDC Special Report No.11 Changing Defense Priorities (PDF)

About The HRPDC: The Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, one of 21 Planning District Commissions in the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a regional organization representing Southeastern Virginia’s sixteen local governments. The HRPDC serves as a resource of technical expertise to its member local governments and provides assistance on local and regional issues pertaining to Planning, Water Resources, Communications, Economics & Housing, and Emergency Management.

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Jan
11

Government Contracting Spring 2012

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When:  February 7 to April 10, 2012, 7 p.m.-9 p.m.

Where:  Tidewater Community College, Regional Workforce Development Center, 7000 College Drive, Suffolk, VA

About the Seminar:  Contracting with the federal government, especially in the emerging Homeland Security and Defense industries, has many business opportunities… if you know the tricks of the trade. Only at the Government Contracting Business Management 2012 can you learn from top executives about what it takes to succeed in this growing field.

This is the fastest, smartest way to get the edge you need – perfect for transitioning military service members and civil servants, budding entrepreneurs, defense contractors or anyone planning to build a new career in government contracting.

What You Will Learn:

  • Strategic Planning
  • Marketing
  • Proposal Development Process
  • Contract Performance
  • Contract Administration and Contract Accounting
  • Government Customer Expectations
  • How to Subcontract with Prime Contractors
  • Profitability and Administration
  • Employee Relations
  • Small Business Resources

Register here

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Jan
09

The year ahead: What’s in store for Hampton Roads

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By Bill Cresenzo for Inside Business, posted January 6, 2012

2012 – 2011 redux? As Hampton Roads begins another year, Inside Business asked the region’s business, government, civic, educational and community leaders to give readers an idea of what they would like to see happen in the year ahead and what they expect to see.

Leaders such as Greg Grootendorst, the chief economist with the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, who said, “The economic outlook for the coming year is likely to be one characterized by very modest growth.

“Hampton Roads remains entrenched in the process of recovering from the great recession,” he said. “The region has lost in excess of 50,000 jobs since payroll employment peaked in July of 2007; regional employment is now at the same level as it was in 2001.”

Vinod B. Agarwal, an economics professor at Old Dominion University, concurs with Grootendorst. The author of an annual regional economic forecast, Agarwal will present his findings at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 25 at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott at the annual economic forecast event. To register, call (757) 683-5138.

Agarwal said he expects the economy to pick up slightly in 2012, but it will continue to be a “jobless recovery.” While the economy might grow some, unemployment rates will remain steady or rise.

But there are other, exciting things on the business horizon. From Hampton Mayor Molly Ward to Jerry Bridges, the executive director of the Virginia Port Authority, to Dana Dickens, president of the Hampton Roads Partnership, inside this issue you’ll find what the region’s leaders believe 2012 will bring, as well as what they hope it will bring.

Recently seen on the Twitterverse:  What’s your wish for Hampton roads in 2012? See what Dana Dickens and other local leaders think. http://insidebiz.com/news/inside-business-story-257

The Year Ahead: E. Dana Dickens III President and CEO, Hampton Roads Partnership

My one wish for 2012 is that the many years of work in regional cooperation and collaboration by the Hampton Roads Partnership translate into true regional consensus, with significant results in growth and in greater diversification of the economy of Hampton Roads.

We can accomplish this if:

  • Entrepreneurs have better access to capital, supported via a multimillion dollar fund organized by investors to promote “grow your own” economic development in the region.
  • Taxpayers enjoy enhanced government services and lower taxes, supported via implementation of shared public services identified during the pilot program launched in 2011 with Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Chesapeake.
  • Local government implements improved efficiencies and savings, supported via more Hampton Roads cities – and counties – joining in shared services projects across the region.
  • Startup businesses achieve explosive growth thanks to mentors, supported via coaching provided by the region’s proven business leaders, both retired and active.
  • Growth-oriented companies realize their entrepreneurial goals, supported via a cultural shift enabled by Innovate!HamptonRoads and its “Economic Gardening Network,” a suite of high-end, high-speed business growth resources.
  • Serious networking and marketing happens for entrepreneurs, supported via successful events like Start Norfolk, active local entrepreneurs, metropolitan-focused academic institutions and the groups championing the region’s technology clusters of aerospace, bioscience, coastal energy, modeling and simulation, robotics and unmanned systems and sensors.
  • Education in STEM/STEAM moves forward rapidly, supported via the various regional efforts such as a full-time boarding school, a governor’s school and curricular/extracurricular activities for public schools tied to Virginia’s standards of learning. [STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering and applied math.]

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Jan
06

Events for Inventors on Prototyping, DoD in VA, Naval Station Norfolk’s future, Bioelectrics in Hampton Roads

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The Virginia Inventors Forum meets Wednesday, January 11, 2012, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Thomas Nelson Community College – Historic Triangle Campus (4601 Opportunity Way, Williamsburg, VA – Room 222) for a program featuring Dwight Dart, Design Lab Engineer from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Virginia on “Prototyping…and after: the importance of building a prototype, refining the prototype, and what comes next once the prototype is built.” To register and for more information, visit VirginiaInventors.org.
CREW Hampton Roads CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) Hampton Roads hosts a Luncheon Program on “Naval Station Norfolk: The State of the Base, Current and Future Growth and Improvement Strategy” featuring Captain Mary Jackson, Commander, Norfolk Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Virginia. Join CREW on Tuesday, January 17, 2012, at Town Center City Club (222 Central Park Avenue #230, Virginia Beach, VA) from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. SIGN UP ONLINE at CrewHamptonRoads.org or contact Jamie Richardson at crewhr@verizon.net.
Tidewater Association of Service Contractors Tidewater Association of Service Contractors (TASC) meets on January 18, 2012, at 11:30 a.m. for a Luncheon at the Norfolk Airport Hilton (1500 North Military Highway Norfolk, Virginia) featuring Stan Scott, Executive Director of the Virginia National Defense Industrial Authority (VNDIA) which advocates for our nation’s military in Virginia. The Virginia National Defense Industrial Authority (VNDIA) was established during in 2005 by the Virginia General Assembly recognizing that “a need exists for the provision of technical assistance and coordination between the Commonwealth, its political subdivisions and the United States military…” Department of Defense (DoD) spending in the Commonwealth now exceeds $57 billion annually ($5,000 for each Virginian) and accounts for 15.6% of the Gross State Product and 18.9% of jobs in Virginia. DoD remains Virginia’s number one direct employer (187,000 jobs) and indirectly supports more than 900,000 Virginia jobs. Register at TASC-TGIC.org/events/registration.php.
Join Biotech at the Beach on Friday, January 20, 2012, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 pm. Luncheon topic is “Bioelectrics and its use for both medical and environmental applications” with speaker Dr. Richard Heller, Director of the Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics at Old Dominion University. Location: Virginia Beach Economic Development Authority Conference Room located in the Armada Hoffler Tower at 222 Central Park Ave, Suite 1000, Virginia Beach, VA. Center for Bioelectrics (CBE) at Old Dominion University is a multi-discipline center mainly focused on translational research. Examples of research being performed at CBE will be discussed during the presentation including wound healing, cancer therapy, cardiovascular and decontamination. As always, the luncheon is complimentary, you can register to attend here. Learn more about Biotech in Hampton Roads at Arkios.com/BiotechattheBeach.htm.

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Dec
12

Foresight: Four Questions Answered About Hampton Roads

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Fall 2011

For each newsletter, the Hampton Roads Association for Commercial Real Estate (HRACRE) poses the same four questions to someone in the region who can provide answers and foresight in 50 words or less that’s highly worth considering. For this issue, Craig Quigley, Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Military & Federal Facilities Alliance (HRMFFA) responds:

HRACRE:  What is the greatest Hampton Roads regional achievement?
Craig:  I believe our greatest achievement is the tremendous progress made in thinking, planning and acting as a region, rather than individual municipalities. This enlightened view makes us more aware of strengths and weaknesses region-wide, and to then devise smart strategies for moving forward – together.

HRACRE:  What is today’s biggest challenge for Hampton Roads?
Craig:  Though it may sound odd coming from someone whose charter is to attract, retain and grow Federal facilities to Hampton Roads, I believe our biggest challenge is to diversify our economy so as to lessen our reliance on the Federal sector. But until that goal is achieved, I have no intention of slacking off my mission!

HRACRE:  What would you do to solve this problem?
Craig:  Take an honest appraisal of our regional strengths and weaknesses, play to the strengths and tackle the weaknesses head on. This is already well underway, but nothing this comprehensive happens overnight. I have every confidence we’ll get there, however.

HRACRE:  What will Hampton Roads look like in a decade?
Craig:  We will continue to have a strong Federal presence here, despite whatever Federal budget pressures may occur. The citizens of Hampton Roads love their country and sincerely value the service of the men and women who work directly to support our great Nation. Hampton Roads will be thriving ten years from now!

Others’ Four Questions. Photo credit: Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce

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Dec
07

HRPDC Special Report on military spending decline

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The failure of the Congressional “super committee” to come up with a plan to reduce the U.S. deficit has triggered $1.2 trillion in across-the-board spending cuts beginning in January of 2013, and ending in FY2021. As prescribed by the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA), spending would be decreased by an inflation adjusted $109.3 billion per year, with spending cuts split evenly between non-security spending and security programs (Department of Defense, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, and the National Nuclear Security Administration). The BCA would not allow for cost benefit tradeoffs for cuts, nor would it allow for money to be moved between years under the budget caps, preventing programs from back loading spending cuts to allow for a gradual decline.

For questions or comments, please contact Greg Grootendorst,
HRPDC Chief Economist, ggrootendorst@hrpdcva.gov.
Download the complete report in a PDF.

The $1.2 trillion in spending cuts are in addition to the discretionary spending caps designed to reduce the budget deficit by $917 billion over 10 years. There is a great deal of speculation and debate as to the exact implementation of the proposed spending cuts, and whether or not Congressional action might prevent the “automatic reduction” from taking place. Regardless of outcome, intense budget pressure is likely to significantly reduce federal expenditures.

Given the import of Department of Defense (DoD) spending to the Hampton Roads economy, potential cuts in the defense budget are especially significant. Assuming implementation of the sequestration process, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates reductions ranging from 8.5% to 10% in the caps on new discretionary appropriations for defense programs. The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) estimates an 11% reduction in real defense spending from the peak in FY 2010 to FY 2013, when the cuts will be put in place. This reduces base defense spending back to the FY 2007 levels ($472B a year) until the end of the sequestration process in FY 2021. It should also be noted that War spending in Iraq and Afghanistan, currently $128B, is outside of the sequestration process but will likely draw down over the decade as those conflicts end, leading to a combined decrease in real defense expenditures of 31% (similar to the 34% decline after the end of the cold war).

The direct impact of defense spending accounts for roughly 20% of the regional economy. A reduction of between 7% (CBO low estimate) and 11% (CSBA estimate) would remove approximately $1.6B from the local economy if the government decreased all defense spending equally. An 11% decrease in FY 2010 levels of spending would reduce military spending in FY 2013 to $13.85B in the region, the same level of spending as in FY 2004.

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Nov
29

Daily Press Editorial: Economic diversity needed

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NORFOLK (July 7, 2011) The guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) pulls into Naval Station Norfolk, the largest navy base in the world. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Christopher B. Stoltz/Released)

Posted by the Daily Press on November 19, 2011

In face of military cutbacks, Hampton Roads must replace lost dollars.

It’s almost impossible to overestimate the military’s important place in our region.

Naval Station Norfolk is the largest naval base in the world. Naval Air Station Oceana, a master jet base, is home to the Navy’s East Coast fighter jet fleet. Langley Air Force Base is the headquarters for Air Combat Command, which oversees national air combat power. Fort Eustis is the Army’s hub for transportation logistics.

There are lots of other military facilities, employing hordes of military and civilian workers.

And let’s not forget the private firms catering to the military. Chief among them is Newport News Shipbuilding, the nation’s only manufacturer of nuclear aircraft carriers and one of two nuclear submarine builders — and the region’s largest private employer, with more than 20,000 workers.

Hampton Roads‘ military connection has been a blessing, helping us to weather the recent economic storms better than most.

A steady stream of military pay checks flows from Washington, D.C., directly or indirectly into the pockets of local residents, to be spent on everything from cars, homes and clothing to gas, restaurants and movies.

According to Old Dominion University, the Pentagon spends more than Read the rest of this entry »

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Nov
16

Retired admiral: Defense cuts will affect region

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Retired Rear Adm. Craig Quigley, director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance, outlined specific military operations that might be in jeopardy.

By Bill Bartel for The Virginian-Pilot

A leaner defense budget may be worse for Langley than Oceana, and harder on Navy riverines than SEALs and aircraft carriers, the head of Hampton Roads’ defense lobbying organization said Tuesday.

While no one can say yet how much of the region’s $20 billion annual federal income might be lost from impending defense cuts, retired Rear Adm. Craig Quigley outlined specific military operations that might be in jeopardy and others that might expand as the Pentagon seeks to trim and consolidate. He also warned of long-range changes in national defense, particularly the Navy’s growing focus on the Asian Pacific region rather than the Atlantic, that will affect southeast Virginia in decades to come.

“The federal presence in Hampton Roads will probably be smaller, but we’re not going away,” said Quigley, executive director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance, in a speech to the Economics Club of Hampton Roads.

Congress and the Obama administration are considering about $460 billion in defense cuts over the next decade to help deal with a large budget deficit. In addition, at least $500 billion in other defense cuts could be required under a related congressional agreement if a special House-Senate committee fails to agree on a broader deficit plan by Nov. 23.

Whether the cuts are the larger or smaller figure, Hampton Roads will not be untouched, Quigley said.

For example, Read the rest of this entry »

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Nov
15

From Congressman Forbes: Strong Defense, Strong America

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In 1997, the United Kingdom initiated a program to develop a nuclear attack submarine. But some five to six years into the program, it became clear that neither the prime contractor nor any other British firm had the necessary design and production skills to build the new submarine. Without a domestic ability to produce submarines, the United Kingdom was forced to look abroad in order to complete their project.

Fortunately, the British were able to look to United States and employ one of our shipyards to provide the missing skills and expertise. With American help, the Astute class was completed in February 2010. However, by then the cost for the first three Astute-class submarines had reportedly grown by 90%, and the first of the class was some four years late.

If the U.S. military one day found itself in the same position as the British did with the Astute program, it would have few places to turn for help since no allies currently maintain the breadth and depth of capabilities resident in the U.S. defense industry.

Defense manufacturing is worth protecting. Let’s take a look at this snapshot of defense manufacturing in America: Read the rest of this entry »

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