Cherry Point facilities drive eastern N.C. regional economy

During his many years as a civilian employee at the “Naval Aviation Depot,” which has been renamed as Fleet Readiness Center East, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock…and during his time as a Mayor of the Town of Newport…Derryl Garner was constantly “building bridges” between the public and private sectors.

 

One organization that Mayor Garner helped create in the 1990s continues to effectively mesh military interests with the needs of citizens who reside in the communities around Cherry Point. It’s a partnership that is known today as Allies for Cherry Point’s Tomorrow (ACT).

For years, Mayor Garner was the lead spokesperson for ACT, positioning Cherry Point as a critical component of the nation’s defense network, warding off threats of base curtailments or closure.

It’s unclear if Mayor Garner wrote the message: “Pardon Our Noise. It’s the Sound of Freedom.” But he certainly embraced it.

Because Mayor Garner always viewed Cherry Point as a regional asset and the primary source of jobs for residents of Carteret, Craven, Jones and Pamlico counties, it only made sense to have the four counties band together and speak with one, unified voice.

 

ACT is an example of a collaboration that works for the benefit of all and avoids getting mired down in petty politics.

ACT’s primary focus is to: “Educate the public and raise awareness about the significance of Cherry Point, its history and its role in supporting both the local community and the entire U.S. military on a global scale.”

The F-35 Lightning II squadrons of Joint Strike Fighters have arrived at Cherry Point. Both the F-35B and F-35C variants are now aboard the Air Station and are replacing fleets of F-18 A/C/D Hornets, AV-8B Harriers and the EA-6B Prowler aircraft. 

ACT had begun to lobby for the F-35s in 2012.

One longtime ACT board member acknowledged that Derryl Garner was a visionary who repeatedly cautioned against any development project that could potentially encroach upon Cherry Point’s ability to train aviators.

“Nothing could finer in eastern North Carolina” than the payroll generated year after year by Cherry Point, Mayor Garner would say.

A Marine Corps spokesperson stated: “MCAS Cherry Point is home to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, which serves as aviation combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force, and Fleet Readiness Center East (FRC East), a world-class maintenance, engineering and logistics support center for all branches of the U.S. military.”

With a combined workforce of 11,823 (6,467 active-duty military and 5,356 civilian employees), Cherry Point facilities have an annual economic impact that exceeds $2.19 billion. That is probably a conservative estimate.

ACT has identified a few more “talking points.”

     Approximately 23,150 people – one out of every four people living in the four-county         area – is connected to Cherry Point, either as active-duty military, civilian employees,         family, dependents or retirees.

 

Cherry Point purchases nearly $1 billion in goods and services a year from local companies and vendors.

 

FRC East is the largest industrial employer east of I-95, providing high-skilled, high-wage civilian jobs that pay an average of nearly $61,000 per year.

 

Looking at an even bigger picture, Carteret County also benefits from the presence of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River near Jacksonville in neighboring Onslow County.

 

A Marine Corps spokesperson said these Onslow bases provide an annual economic impact of more than $4.82 billion, with a combined military and civilian employment that totals 48,624.

In 2015, to reaffirm North Carolina’s commitment to be the “most military and veteran friendly state in the nation,” the North Carolina General Assembly authorized funding to establish a Department of Military & Veterans Affairs. One goal is to “assist our veterans in any way we can during their transition to civilian life and beyond,” said Gov. Roy Cooper.

“Veterans shall be granted preference in employment with every state department, agency and institution,” he added.