Call to Order and Roll Call
The 4th meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection was held on Thursday, October 8, 2015, at 1:00 PM, in . Senator Albert Robinson, Chair, called the meeting to order, and the secretary called the roll.
Present were:
Members: Senator Albert Robinson, Co-Chair; Senators C.B. Embry Jr., Ernie Harris, Stan Humphries, and Mike Wilson; Representatives Robert Benvenuti III, Tom Burch, Leslie Combs, Tim Couch, Ron Crimm, Myron Dossett, Jim Gooch Jr., David Hale, Kenny Imes, David Meade, Terry Mills, Tim Moore, Tom Riner, and Russell Webber.
Guests: MAJ GEN (Ret.) Steve Collins, Director, Bluegrass Station; Gen. Steve Bullard, Kentucky Air National Guard (KyANG); and Mike Jones, Director, Kentucky Logistical Operations Center (KYLOC).
LRC Staff: Erica Warren, Jessica Zeh, and Rhonda Schierer.
Welcome and Overview of Bluegrass Station’s Mission, Past, and Future
MAJ GEN (Ret.) Steve Collins, Director, gave a PowerPoint presentation on Bluegrass Station’s mission, past, and future. Bluegrass Station consists of 777 acres with 291.47 mostly developed. In 2013, Bluegrass Station was able to repurpose 211.71 acres from solely a recreational area and former golf course to usage defined by U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for emergency response; 273.86 acres are still undeveloped. The property houses over 2.2 million square feet of commercial space and 112 buildings.
MAJ Collins discussed the Bluegrass Station federal and state initiatives and administrative solution to previous land restrictions verses federal legislation. The installation capabilities of Bluegrass Station include: a military culture with a better business plan, operations and management based lease versus rent based lease, expansion without federal military construction funding, integrated anti-terrorism plan with local, state, and federal agencies, including use of on-site and statewide military response, secure access control points, roving patrols and electronic surveillance, access to military networks, email and domain, linkage with local and military weather warning systems, redundant broadband and buried fiber capability, access to the defense switching network telephones, environmental permits including air, water and waste, onsite railhead and rail loading coordination, separate fire system to achieve from 1500-2300 gallons per minute on-site, manned 24/7 fire department, electronic billing using federal wide area workflow system, surge capability with offsite storage, and provide on-site vehicle exercise and test area.
At the Bluegrass Station, the Department of Defense (DOD), National Guard Bureau (NGB), Kentucky Logistical Operations Center (KYLOC), military units and state police have a mission to meet task order or tenant needs, and develop strategic partnerships. Bluegrass Station recognizes that its tenants are what make up the Bluegrass Station, and therefore creates capabilities that set conditions for tenant success, and uses complementary abilities of local, state, and federal governments. The goal is to continue improving and gaining jobs.
In response to a question from Representative Burch, MAJ Collins stated that it is hard to anticipate the number of simulations and missions that take place daily at the Bluegrass Station but that Bluegrass Station receives 200 task orders daily.
Mike Jones, Director, provided an overview of the Kentucky Logistical Operation Center (KYLOC), located at Bluegrass Station, and the uniform services provided to each branch of the military. Mr. Jones stated that no state dollars are spent at the KYLOC. KYLOC provides uniforms anywhere in the world and is constantly looking for other groups to accommodate. It provides patches and other detailed information clients want on their uniforms. The college Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) have always reused uniforms from previous members, and now members get new uniforms specifically fitted to the persons needing them. Uniforms are shipped directly to their clients. Mr. Jones invited members to see KYLOC in operation following the committee’s bus tour of Bluegrass Station.
In response to a question from Representative Mills, Mr. Jones stated that uniforms are not available to high schools at this time, but he hopes that high schools will use the program in the future.
Other Business
General Bullard announced that the Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection Interim Joint Committee will meet November 12, 2015, at the Air National Guard Base in Louisville and spoke about the Kentucky National Guard Youth Challenge Program.
Chairman Robinson announced to members that a bus tour of the Bluegrass Station would be immediately after adjournment.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.