RAFB reports $3.38 billion economic impact for 2019

The Robins Regional Chamber held its annual State of the Base event virtually, Wednesday. The event featured Robins Air Force Base leaders sharing an insight of operations.

It was originally scheduled in March, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was canceled. The event is also normally held as a luncheon at the Museum of Aviation. Chamber members and those in the community had the opportunity to sign up and pay a fee to watch the event beginning Wednesday and had until 3 p.m. Friday to do so.

This year’s panelists included Major General John Flournoy – Deputy Commander, Air Force Reserve Command, Brigadier General John Kubinec – Commander, Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex, Emily Jay – Director of Contracting, Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins-Operating Location, Wayne Ayer – Director of Engineering and Technical Management Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins-Operating Location, Colonel Edward Goebel – Commander, 461st Air Control Wing, Colonel Amy Holbeck – Commander, 116th Air Control Wing, Stephen Niemantsverdriet – Senior Site Lead, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, and Colonel Brian Moore – Commander, Installation and 78th Air Base Wing.

Moore shared the new 2019 economic impact statement of Robins Air Force Base, which last year contributed $3.38 billion to the Georgia economy. The impact statement provides general information about the economic impact the installation has on the state. The economic impact report is located on Robins AFB’s website. The report is also distributed to federal, state and local officials.

Moore said the fiscal 2019 statement sizes Robins’ workforce at 23,967 – a figure that is made up of 14,821 appropriated fund civilians, 6,188 military members and 2,958 other employees.

The statement also notes Robins paid out $1.54 billion in salaries. The largest portion of that money – $1.12 billion – went to civilians working on base, while military members accounted for $400.8 million. Non-federal civilians and contract employees accounted for just over $14.8 million.

Moore said additionally, the installation awarded $7.1 billion in contracts during fiscal 2019. Of that amount, the base awarded $518 million to Georgia firms, with the lion’s share – $224 million – going to firms in Houston County.

Flournoy shared that he is proud of the work the Air Force Reserve Command has done during the pandemic. He said they were able to launch airmen into New York and New Jersey within 48 hours to assist as medical professionals and sent 100 Air Medical Evacuation Specialists to bring COVID-19 patients home from all over the world.

Moore echoed how important their work is.

“The base continues to grow,” Moore said. “In the context of COVID-19, the general mentioned that the workload is going to continue to be there.”

Kubinec stated that they are putting a lot of emphasis on the future workforce through STEM programs, a brand new software engineering center in Warner Robins and the new Blue Sky software center in downtown Macon.

“Those kinds of relationships are really, really crucial for us in the future,” Kubinec said. “They can get young kids interested in that kind of career and then, selfishly, I hope we can hire a bunch of them in to be engineers and software engineers at Robins.”

Kubinec said they want to continue building on those partnerships with Mercer University, Central Georgia Technical College, Middle Georgia State University and Houston County Schools.

Kubinec is set to retire in July, and with that, a change of command ceremony for the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex will be held on July 14. The incoming commander is Air Force Col. Jennifer Hammerstedt. She has also been nominated for the appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Hammerstedt is currently serving as the military assistant to the deputy secretary of defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia. Hammerstedt will be the second female commander. Major General Polly A. Peyer was the first female commander of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex from Aug. 2008 to Nov. 2010.

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