Westover increases its impact

Date: 11/9/2010

Nov. 10, 2010

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

CHICOPEE -- Westover Air Reserve base was an economic powerhouse for the city and region when it was an active duty Air Force base and a report issued last week indicates, despite its reserve status, it is still pumping millions of dollars into the economy.

The 439th Airlift Wing brought more than $266 million into the region, an increase of nearly $35 million over last year's figures. In 2009, the figure was $231 million and in 2008, the financial impact was $195 million.

The reason for the increase, according to Dan McCarthy, a cost and management analyst at the base, was the renovation efforts at the base as well as an increased military payroll due to the surge in war in Afghanistan.

"Westover works hard to be a good partner and neighbor to the surrounding communities. The jobs and construction that make this base run well also help the local economies to succeed," Col Robert Swain, commander of the 439th Airlift Wing, said.

Gail Sherman, president of the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce echoed Swain's remarks. She told Reminder Publications the base's economic contribution to Chicopee and the surrounding area was "extremely important."

The military personnel and the civilian workers at the base make a real difference to the city's restaurant, retail stores and hotels, Sherman said.

"The hotels are filled with military personnel," she added.

The money generated by the base is "one of the reasons Chicopee is so successful," she said.

She also noted that members of the military "give their time and energy" to a number of civic programs and events.

According to the Air Force analysis, communities within a 50-mile radius were positively impacted by payroll and spending.

The 439th Airlift Wing employs about 3,836 people, including 2,008 Air Force reservists. There are 747 federal employees and 110 non-appropriated fund employees who work in such areas as the base exchange, bowling alley, shoppette-gas station, outdoor recreation, lodging, and the Westover Club. In addition, there are 127 contract civilians working on the base employed by Phoenix Management (the main contractor for the base), Lockheed-Martin, UKPIK, Flight Safety Services, and Omega Travel.

The total payroll for the base from Oct. 1, 2009 to Sept. 30, 2010 was $144,388,268. Military salaries totaled $80,217,309, while civil service personnel accounted for $59,999,004 and non-appropriated fund civilians and private businesses made an additional $4,171,268.

Another $42,076,203 was spent on construction -- an increase from $32,173,759 in fiscal 2009 and $8,490,135 in fiscal 2008 -- while service contracts contributed $18,880,489 and $10,539,282 that went to other expenditures including temporary duty for military personnel.

By using a government formula, the base indirectly created 1,136 jobs in the area during this period. Calculating an average annual salary of $44,672, those jobs resulted in an estimated local impact of $50,747,392.

"I can't say enough about how important they are," Sherman said.