Friday, May 15, 1998

Dyess, Abilene partnership remains ideal

We welcome to Abilene today the members of the Texas Strategic Military Planning Commission, who could have hardly picked a more appropriate spot for a public hearing about retaining defense installations in Texas.

Abilene's relationship with Dyess Air Force Base is legendary in the military. We last officially won the General Mike Loh Air Combat Command Outstanding Community Award in 1995, but the city has claimed that honor so many times over the years -- including occasions when it was called the Strategic Air Command Base/Community Relations Award -- that it's now referred to in the Air Force as the "Abilene trophy." It's emblematic of the special partnership between Abilene and Dyess that other base communities try to emulate.

We don't have to look far to see Dyess' value to Abilene and the entire surrounding area. It's called economic impact -- $253 million in fiscal 1997. That includes an annual civilian and military payroll of $169 million, making it easily our largest employer, plus $49.7 million in annual expenditures and $33.7 million in the estimated value of jobs created.

Imagine Abilene and the Big Country without Dyess? No, thank you.

And that doesn't even account for the many ways in which Dyess personnel help out in a wide array of local volunteer projects.

In return, we try to make the Air Force feel welcome. We invite Dyess men and women into our community with special occasions like the World's Largest Barbecue and in more ordinary ways like offering military discounts at entertainment events, welcoming Air Force members into our churches and asking them to serve on civic committees.

The Texas Strategic Military Planning Commission probably already knows all about this, considering Abilene's own Fred Lee Hughes is one of its members, state Rep. Bob Hunter of Abilene is an ex-officio member, and Tucker Bridwell, president of the Development Corporation of Abilene board, sits on the Texas Economic Development Commission, to which the military planning panel reports on the effect of defense on the Texas economy. But it doesn't hurt sometimes to be reminded of the obvious.

The commission welcomes remarks from Abilenians at its meeting from 1:30-4 p.m. at the City Hall council chambers. Its members should expect a long list of testimonials.