Wing's economic impact worth nearly a billion dollars

The 366th Fighter Wing recently released its 2005 Fiscal Year Economic Impact Statement (EIS) in which it outlines various aspects of the wing's mission and resources, as well as its financial impact on the surrounding area.

The EIS lists the direct financial impact for 2005 around $435 million. However, using a complicated impact multiplier, the EIS is also able to determine the total economic picture for the Mountain Home area.

After the input is calculated using the Gross Multiplier Index (GMI), the EIS estimated the local economic impact for 2005 around $934 million.

Mountain Home Air Force Base, which was realigned last year at the recommendation of the Department of Defense, has been home to the Gunfighters since October 1972.

During that time, the 366th has flown combat missions over Korea, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

During the air campaign against Afghanistan that began in October 2001, the 366th Wing's deployed crews have flown nearly 1,000 sorties and dropped a total of 7.6 million pounds of bombs against Al Qaeda and Taliban targets--the most out of any unit participating in the operation.

The wing has been redesignated twice, first in 1991 when it was renamed the 366th Wing, and then again in 2002 when it was changed back to the 366th Fighter Wing.

The Gunfighters currently fly three different types of aircraft: a squadron each of F-15C/D Eagles, F-15E Strike Eagles and F-16C/D Fighting Falcons.

Each of these aircraft is supported through combat and control, communications, intelligence and numerous support functions. The Gunfighters, a team of Expeditionary Combat Leaders, consolidate these functions in order to keep the wing's operations running smoothly.

The 2005 Economic Impact Statement strives to provide the public with key, unclassified information about the 366th and was prepared by the Comptroller Financial Analysis Flight.

According to the foreword, "The EIS was compiled from numerous sources, including on-base activities, other federal, state, and local government agencies, and the local community."

"The facts and figures contained throughout are accurate to the best of our knowledge."

After the foreword, the EIS lists all the organizations housed at MHAFB. This includes the 366th Fighter Wing Staff, along with the Operations, Maintenance, Mission Support and Medical Groups.

The 366th is also home to several tenants ranging from such groups as the Area Defense Council to the American Red Cross to the Army Corp of Engineers.

The Force Structure of the EIS lists the three squadrons of aircraft housed on-base (389 FS, 390 FS and 391 FS) and the total number of hours the aircraft assigned to those squadrons logged in 2005.

The 389 Flying Squadron, composed of 22 F-16C/D Fighting Falcons, logged a total of 4,749 hours last year while the 390 FS, home to 20 F-15C/D Eagles, logged 4,217 hours of flight time.

The 391 FS, the 366th's largest squadron with 31 F-15E Strike Eagles, boasted a total of 6,266 hours in 2005.

Overall, the 366th's 73 aircraft spent more than 15,000 hours in the air over the last fiscal year.

The Force Structure of the EIS is followed by a listing of the 366th's entire Capital Assets. These include the total acres of land and the square footage of all base buildings.

The Value of Resources section of the impact statement lists the estimated value of just the weapons systems on the base's aircraft at $4.12 billion.

Capital Assets are valued at $408,303,989 and the estimated cost to replace the entire Mountain Home Air Force Base is $1,948,341,000.

Total costs of base Construction and Procurement is next in the EIS, followed by Personnel-Strength and Payroll.

According the EIS, 1,579 active duty personnel live on-base while 2,445 live off-base. That number, 4,024, added with the total number of dependents, 6,114, equals a total of 10,138 people supported by MHAFB.

The base also employs close to 900 civilians.

The total military payroll for 2005 was $175,604,677 while the total payroll at MHAFB altogether was $206,753,453.

The final section of the EIS, not including the Economic Impact Summary, is the Impact of Military Retirees and Indirect Jobs Created.

More than 6,000 retired personnel, (6,449) live in the surrounding area, accounting for $111,000,000 in retirement payroll.

The estimated number of indirect jobs created was 1,545 and the average annual pay for local community members was $32,770.

MHAFB is the No. 2 employer of personnel in the Treasure Valley and in 2005 the estimated annual value of jobs created was $50 million, according to the EIS.

Finally, the impact statement once again lists the total estimated dollar impact on the surrounding community of Mountain Home and Elmore County at exactly $934,267,117.

A copy of the MHAFB 2005 Fiscal Year Economic Impact Statement can be obtained by contacting the Public Affairs Office at 828-6800.