Quote:
Originally Posted by tgannaway89
The reason most people aren't making a big deal is because it is a large influx of more military personell in a city already nicknamed Military City USA. The military constantly changes and shifts operations. Before BRAC has cost us personell... this time we will gain. I'd much rather see several thousand high paying private sector jobs (corporate expansions to SA would be awesome). Plus, the city bends over backwards (and then some!) to please local military officials. This has cost us lots of $ and has turned the city against some prominent business officials. They are already trying to get the city to halt construction within 3 miles of Camp Bullis (most of Stone Oak, La Cantera, UTSA, Valero headquarters, The Rim, etc.). I know this is the suburbs, but it has already been built and too late to stop it now If all you want to be known for is that city people live in while training then this is a great boom. If you're more interested in permanent relocations and viable growth you probably don't care much about an extra 10,000 TEMPORARY citizens.
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Funny how people in "Military City USA" think of the Military as just being "TEMPORARY citizens." I'm sure thats not how SA got their nickname, by thinking so highly of the Military. Anyways, a self given nickname doesn't count for much.
Fayetteville, NC with Fort Bragg has the same one. They've got over 50K soldiers there. Their city of 210K relies on these temp jobs and their families to survive. Would I choose their city over ours?? No. I am happy we have the Medical Department here at Ft. Sam and BAMC along with all the other things SA has to offer.
And I think it will have a much larger splash in the pool than you think.
Not all of BRAC is for training, and we are not getting alot of Airborne Infantry or Artillery here (no offense to anyone out there, I was stationed at Ft. Bragg before, nothing to brag about), we are also getting Medical specialties and Research and the expansion of Fort Sam services (PX, Commisary, BAMC) which attracts alot of well-off retirees to call SA home once they've done their time.
The jobs are permanent, just not most of the people. Included are civilian positions which are much more permanent. I'm moving to BAMC in Feb. 2/3 of my unit are civilians not originally from SA and a few make well over six figures.
BRAC includes alot of movement of research, research support, and entire military units moving here. Its not just a bunch of people in uniform marching around and sitting in class. These units have budgets and just like the guys flying AF1 around NYC "wasting money", if they don't use $$ they lose $$, 10 time out of 10 they use it. SAIC, CACI, NG, GD, BAH and other contractors, with
high paying jobs follow Fed $$ around to put it ($$) to good use. So in effect, BRAC is creating more than just these TEMP jobs.
My GF works at one of these companies DT and they have 2 floors full in a DT building. They have been hiring 3-4 new people each month and will continue to do so for the rest of the year. I know that this is not thousands of jobs but if each company does this, then we are talking about a few hundred jobs added just this year. Just like the anticipation of the NSA at Westover is adding to the amount of IT and cleared personel here in SA, other companies will look to move here because we will have qualified individuals here in masses.
My point about it is also on the economic side; 10K temporary, and about 3-4K living here for 3+ years and alot of permanent jobs is more than just people driving through and staying at a hotel for a night or two, and it will be more of an impact than adding a small college campus here. It is going to have a much greater economic impact than you think it will. The fact is that around 12K+ people are moving here (some longer than others) that have jobs, higher than average salary for SA and at least half will bring spouses, and at least half of those will have kids. Those families don't sit at home. They spend money, they pay rent, they buy houses, they go to school, they go shopping, they drive on our roads and they fly out of our airport; and since alot of them are not permanent, they will be using the airport alot to get from Great Lakes to SAT, and from SAT to wherever their next station is going to be. Higher demand for homes, apartments, hotels, retail, food, and everything that is already here
We are not in better shape than most other US cities by mistake. DC was the only city to get more Fed $$ for construction and BRAC.
I didn't say other companies moving here was a bad thing. I just think BRAC will have a larger economic impact than, say, Whataburger. A big deal should have been made. Wouldn't this have been a perfect time to make improvements in the Walters/Houston St. area? Corporate jobs following the Fed $$ is what is needed for sustainable growth as well. We can grow on the private side too. Don't you think Detroit wishes they had more than their private sector corporate jobs right now?
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