Military and the impact on communities

Military and families impact Alaskan economy<http://www.ktva.com/ci_12579750> By Corey Allen-Young, CBS 11 News ReporterKTVA With close to a billion dollars of revenue pouring into the state eachyear, the importance of our military to the economy is big. But with recentdeployments to Iraq and Afghanistan sending the majority of our troops awaythat could mean less money for Alaskan businesses. 10,000 men and women inAlaska's armed forces are overseas. 10,000 people whose dollars aren't beingspent here right now. You would be hard pressed to find a business that doesn't depend on themilitary's money in some shape or form. "Between contracts and employmenthere, the military is the largest employer in the state, and what that givesback to Anchorage is absolutely huge," said Sami Glascott, the president ofthe Anchorage Chamber of Commerce. When you add up the total amount it equalswell over one billion dollars a year across the state. Dollars that with ourmen and women deployed are clearly missed. "Right now we are an army at war,the operations that we do have overseas does cause a lot of our soldiers tobe gone for extended periods of time," said Col. Steve Apland, the army'sdeputy chief of staff for Alaska. Officials say with the constant movement and growth of Alaska's operations,the worries over dollars spent here minimum. "A lot of people says it hurts,but either way people are spending money," said Spec. Mitchell Spurlock, whois stationed at Fort Richardson. "I think they worry for a brief time periodbut then again once one company deploys, one unit deploys, there is anotherone on its way back, there usually just a little gap in between," said Pvt.Timothy Moon, who is stationed at Fort Richardson. Officials tout thatstimulus money will also make an impact on our state's economy as projectsfor infrastructure and repair on base will have dollars flowing. But even with troops coming back from overseas deployment about 80 percent ofAlaska's service men and women remain deployed right now. A figure that couldimpact our economy if the military families left behind also exit our state.Being a part of a military family can be difficult, especially when yourhusband, wife, dad, or mom has to be deployed for a long period of time. Atime that could push you to want to leave Alaska altogether. But in effortsto keep that from happening both city and military officials are teaming upto help. With close to 10,000 of Alaska's military personnel currently inIraq and Afghanistan their families remain here as part of the Anchoragecommunity. "They have jobs out in the community, the spouses, their childrenare in the schools, they live in houses in Anchorage, they have become partof the community," said Apland. But with deployments averaging well over a year's time, that's time thatfamilies may decide to go somewhere else. "If they are not a part of theAnchorage community then they won't stay and if they won't stay here, likelytheir husband or wife who is serving in uniform probably won't stay in thearmy very long," said Apland. City and military officials are workingtogether to make things comfortable here for military families. Somethingthat is being appreciated. "There is a lot places off post that give militarydiscounts which really do help us out a lot," said Moon. "I go downtownmultiple times, people stop shake your hands and say thank you for all youdo," said Spurlock. "Alaska supports the military so well and you don'talways get that at a lot of places," said Laura Atkins, whose husband is Lt.General Dana Atkins is in charge of the Alaskan command. "We recognize herein Anchorage that we have about 28,000 military and their families here inanchorage and that is a huge economy for us," said Glascott. A billion dollar economy that both the military and Anchorage's businessesdon't want to lose. "That's a cost to any community, the important thing isthat those families that feel a part of the community they'll stay hereduring that time, they won't go to the lower 48," said Apland. With supportsystems like spouse and family programs offered on both bases and militarydiscounts available across the city there are many options out there. Buteven military officials say the Anchorage community making the families feelwanted here is the main reason they stay.