Staff Report
HUNTSVILLE—On Thursday, Lt. Governor Kay Ivey convened a meeting of the Alabama Jobs Creation and Military Stability Commission (MSC) at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. Business and industry leaders, elected officials, and advocates attended the morning event with the Commission members. As Chair of the MSC, Lt. Governor Kay Ivey opened the meeting with a review of the Commission’s purpose. The MSC has representatives for all regions of the state where there is a military presence. The Commission provides a state government voice to U.S. Department of Defense decision makers and works in concert with local endeavors to sustain and attract military missions, complementing regional efforts.
The economic impact of military missions in Alabama is approximately 13 billion dollars per year. The Department of Defense employs approximately 100,000 military and civilian personnel in the state. When adding average dependents, the number rises to more than 300,000 people. Lt. Governor Ivey stated, “The Alabama Job Creation and Military Stability Commission was created by Alabama Senate Joint Resolution 69 by Senator Bill Holtzclaw (R-Madison) in May, 2011. We were well aware of the successful efforts of regional groups such as the TVABRAC and others. However, there was no state government entity to support their efforts. We have a great team and a good mix of talent, skills and expertise on the Commission from all parts of the State. Because of the potential economic impact of military missions on communities, we wanted to expand the lines of communication with area leaders through this open breakfast meeting.”
