The total economic impact of Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, on the surrounding region anchored by Dayton, Ohio, exceeds $4.4 billion, according to newly issued Air Force data. The base’s 2008 base economic impact analysis (full document; caution, large file), which incorporates data as of September 2008, shows that there is a total of 25,713 military, civilian, and contractor employees at Wright-Patterson, an increase of nearly 900 personnel compared to 2007 figures. “This document illustrates that economic growth on the base is robust and radiating throughout the Miami Valley,” said Col. Bradley Spacy, commander of Wright-Paterson’s 88th Air Base Wing. (Wright-Patterson report by Josh Aycock)
The defense intelligence community has tried three times in the past decade to build a “common intelligence picture”—a single data stream providing the information that commanders need to make decisions about the battlefield. The first two attempts failed. But officials say things are different today.