Credited with more than 56,000 jobs and annual economic impact north of $13 billion, Kentucky’s defense and military community is considered to be the fourth-largest career sector in the Commonwealth.
And it cannot be forgotten.
This was the message from Steven P. Bullard, who during Monday’s Pennyrile Area Development District meeting brought his experience and knowledge as the state’s executive director of Commissions on Military Affairs.
A retired U.S Air Force and Air National Guard Brigadier General, he said he best serves the state as a base realignment and closing process, or “BRAC,” “watchdog” — noting Kentucky remains in “terrific shape” with assets like Fort Campbell, Fort Knox and the always busy Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond serving the country’s military might in a variety of package.
Fort Campbell, he added, is the “nation’s 9-1-1” — always ready at a moment’s notice, with facilities capable of landing and launching fully loaded C-17’s.
He also said Fort Knox has become one of the U.S. Army’s larger hubs for human resources, with a staff replete in skill and experience — as well as 5,000 expandable acres ready for property growth and development like a 155-millimeter ammunition plant, a containerized storage unit, and more.
Compared to the rest of the country, Bullard said Kentucky ranks:
— 14th in military employee compensation, at $3.3 billion;
— 16th in total military personnel, including civilians, reservists and National Guard;
— Seventh in defense spending
— And 11th in defense-related contract spending
In January 2010, Bullard said the income tax exemption of military pay received by active duty military members, and their reserve components, came after a full-court press from the Christian County Chamber of Commerce and other economic associates, but that it truly passed in the Kentucky General Assembly as a good-faith gesture following the Kentucky National Guard’s efforts during the 2009 Ice Storm.
Since, he and numerous officials have been trying to get military retirement tax exemption to the Senate and House floors, but to no avail.
What does look like a priority, however, is the state’s push for “Purple Star” Schools — districts K-through-12 that are dignified pillars of education where families and students of military ties know they have a support system in place.
South western Kentucky and the Pennyrile is mostly purple, with collegiate options possible in the coming years.
Kentucky, he said, has the fourth-highest number of active-duty Army personnel in its population. At 30,252, only Texas, Georgia and North Carolina have more.
