JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – The Department of the Army announced today the stationing of the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, a phased action that will see the first unit elements activated at JBLM as early as June 2011, with the final unit activated approximately Sept. 2014.
The headquarters of the 16th CAB, which currently resides at Ft. Wainwright, Alaska, will move to JBLM along with other units currently stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas. The 4th Squadron, 6th Air Cavalry Regiment which is currently stationed at JBLM will also join the 16th CAB. The stationing of the 16th CAB at JBLM will mean the addition of approximately 1,400 new Soldiers and 44 helicopters.
The addition of a medium combat aviation brigade at JBLM is necessary to support mission, training and operations for units assigned to the base. There are nine brigades (three being Stryker brigades) at JBLM plus other major subordinate commands, together totaling more than 40,000 Soldiers and Airmen. Additional aviation assets are needed to support training for these forces consistent with Army doctrine, as well as support future operational mission requirements in accordance with the needs of the Army.
“Having the 16th CAB at Joint Base Lewis-McChord will give I Corps and our major subordinate commands an unprecedented degree of training and operational flexibility. Currently, JBLM is the only Corps-sized installation without a Combat Aviation Brigade. As the Pacific region’s premier Army corps, we need the potent warfighting capability that the new CAB will bring us,” said Maj. Kathleen Turner, spokeswomen for I Corps.
KC says
Talk about the fox guarding the hen house, the following is from their report on the adverse impacts to the environment NOT mentioned in the article above:
Environmental impacts associated with the implementation of the proposedaction would include significant impacts to: transportation on the Interstate 5 corridor near JBLM, fish and water quality in Puget Sound,and noise impacts to sensitive receptors. There are potentially significant impacts to biological resources at YTC from potential increase in wildfire and habitat degradation associated with aviation training.
Impacts would also include significant but mitigable impacts to soils atFort Carson, PCMS, and YTC, as well as significant but mitigable impactsto water resources at YTC. At PCMS, cumulative impacts to soils arepredicted to be manageable with current dust control mitigationtechniques. Impacts to cultural resources, air quality, noise impacts,public land use, and socio-economic impacts were all determined to be less than significant.
Dean says
You actually think 1400 soldiers is going to have a significance impact on the environment here?! I can see a bit of a traffic issue but it can’t get much worse. This state is more concerned about putting riderless trolley’s to nowhere in Seattle than adding needed traffic lanes on I-5. Yep, 1400 soldiers is gonna pollute PS beyond use right after they fish out everything that swims there.
I find it rather hilarious that people around here blow things way out of proportion. Gambling is the cause of all crime in Lakewood; an increase of what 10 short passenger trains is going to kill everyone near the tracks; Camp Murray moving its gate will put thousands of cars everyday through Tillicum; the cops are rogue Mad Max like thugs who race their cars around town. Lakewood, you people make me laugh; I just might stay awhile!