The Youngstown Air Reserve Base Community Council (BCC) recently donated $25,000—earmarked for the Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission (EOMAC)—to the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber Foundation.
Pictured from left to right: Base Community Council President Rick Jugenheimer; BCC Member Simon Werle and EOMAC Director Vito Abruzzino
The Youngstown Air Reserve Base Community Council (BCC) recently donated $25,000—earmarked for the Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission (EOMAC)—to the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber Foundation.
Over the past two years, EOMAC has secured tens of millions of dollars in direct federal investment for the Valley’s military installations: the Youngstown Air Reserve Station (YARS) and Camp James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center. Work is set to begin on the $8.8 million gate at YARS, essential to protect service personnel, as well as meet Pentagon requirements to keep the Valley’s third-largest employer in operation. Work has already begun on a $9 million machine gun range at Camp Garfield, which serves as a training location for YARS personnel, while pumping more than $30 million into the economy annually.
“Support from partners like the BCC enables us to expand the missions at our military installations,” said EOMAC Director Vito Abruzzino. “With the recent closure of GM Lordstown, it’s more important than ever that we foster economic growth at these facilities.”
EOMAC has worked with the northeast Ohio congressional delegation to help increase the economic output at YARS for the second year in a row, to $108 million. And, more opportunities are on the horizon. The National Defense Authorization Act includes money for four new C-130J model aircraft that EOMAC is advocating to be assigned to YARS, and Camp Garfield remains one of three sites under consideration for a $4 billion missile defense system.
“The work that EOMAC does compliments the efforts of the Base Community Council,” BCC President Rick Jugenheimer said. “Our collaboration shows the Pentagon that we are a defense community supporting its military personnel.”
The two organizations are teaming to bring back the “Thunder Over the Valley” air show, a free community event featuring the Air Force Thunderbirds, in June of 2020. Visit youngstownairshow.com for more information.
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ABOUT THE REGIONAL CHAMBER FOUNDATION
The Regional Chamber Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 charitable organization that supports economic development programs in the Valley. For more information regarding the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber Foundation.
ABOUT EOMAC
The Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission provides state and federal advocacy to protect and grow the Valley's military installations, including the Youngstown Air Reserve Station, the Valley's third-largest employer, and Camp James A. Garfield. Since its inception in 2014, EOMAC has helped secure tens of millions of dollars in investments at each installation, resulting in a larger economic impact. It has positioned the installations to receive hundreds of millions more in the next few years to further increase their economic impact on the Mahoning and Shenango valleys.
ABOUT THE YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE BASE COMMUNITY COUNCIL
The Youngstown Air Reserve Base Community Council is a private, non-profit organization providing quality service, special missions and fundraising projects to benefit the Valley's military community. For the past 35 years, the Base Community Council has provided a forum for addressing issues common to the community and the military, been the vehicle to resolve issues, undertaken significant projects and increased public understanding of the role the Air Force Reserve plays in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys.