MINUTES
Thursday, June 27, 2002
10:00 a.m.
El Paso, Texas
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Veteran
Affairs and Military Installations was held on Thursday, June
27, 2002, in El Paso, Texas
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Eliot Shapleigh Senator Carlos F. Truan
Senator Leticia Van de Putte Senator Troy Fraser
Senator Craig Estes
*****
The chair called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. There being
a quorum present, the following business was transacted:
Chairman Shapleigh requested everyone stand for the Presentation
of the Colors by the Military Honor Guard. The Colors were
presented, the National Anthem was sung, and the Committee
Director led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Chairman Shapleigh welcomed everyone to the committee hearing
and recognized the Members of the Committee as well as the
special guests in the audience. Senators Van de Putte and Estes
also made opening remarks.
Chairman Shapleigh recognized Councilman John Cook, District 4
Councilperson, for welcoming remarks. Councilman Cook welcomed
the Committee to El Paso.
Chairman Shapleigh then recognized Mayor Donald Carroll, Mayor
of Alamogordo, NM. Mayor Carroll welcomed the Committee and
informed the Committee of the bi-state cooperation that exists
between Texas and New Mexico, emphasizing regional cooperation
in the area of economic development.
Chairman Shapleigh recognized Salvador Payan, a representative
for Congressman Silvestre Reyes. Mr. Payan welcomed the
Committee to El Paso and then read a statement from Congressman
Reyes concerning BRAC and veterans issues.
Chairman Shapleigh then made a special presentation to Col.
(Ret.) Joseph C. Rodriguez, a Congressional Medal of Honor
winner, for his service in the military and his bravery. Col.
(Ret.) Rodriguez was presented with a flag and a certificate for
his service to our country and our state. Chairman Shapleigh
also made a special presentation to Ms. Hope Simpson. Ms.
Simpson lost her husband, Corporal Brian K. Simpson, during a
SCUD attack on a military barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia in
1991. Ms. Simpson was presented with a flag and a certificate
and was recognized for her sacrifice.
Chairman Shapleigh then gave an explanation of the Committee's
charges and an overview of the military installations in Texas.
He noted the importance of the military to the state's economic
development and spoke about the upcoming Base Realignment and
Closure Act (BRAC).
The Chairman then invited the following person to provide a
briefing on the current and future missions to include the
five-year major facility and infrastructure construction plans
for Fort Bliss and to also address the current and projected
impact of urban development (including noise encroachment) upon
Fort Bliss military training programs that may alter desired
time, space and realism of training:
Colonel Wallace (Ben) Hobson, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Air
Defense Artillery Center and Fort Bliss
The witness provided written and oral testimony and responded to
questions by the members of the Committee.
There being no further questions for the witness, the Chair
invited the following witness to provide testimony on current
and proposed economic development actions for El Paso and Fort
Bliss to include major facility and infrastructure construction
as identified by local military and/or community strategic
economic development plans:
Joyce Feinberg, Executive Assistant to the Mayor, City of
El Paso
The witness provided oral testimony and responded to questions
by members of the Committee.
There being no further questions for the witness, the Chair
invited the following witness to provide a briefing on
significant mission issues affecting White Sands Missile Range
and address cooperative agreements/relationships with Fort Bliss
and El Paso, Texas:
Larry D. Furrow, Chief of Public Affairs, White Sands
Missile Range
The witness provided oral testimony and responded to questions
by members of the Committee.
There being no further questions for the witness, the Chair
invited the following witness to provide testimony on Texas'
three chief aerospace competitor states with regard to factors
effecting military related economic development and military
missions and to identify specific actions taken by other states
to gain competitive advantages, as well as, comment on state
initiatives to strengthen Texas' position:
Fred Johnson, Director of Planning and Development, Texas
Aerospace Commission
The witness provided written and oral testimony and responded to
questions by members of the Committee.
There being no further questions for the witness, the Chair
invited the following witness to provide testimony on cost
effective steps to better inform veterans of benefits to which
they may be entitled, including a technology based process:
James E. Nier, Executive Director, Texas Veterans
Commission
The witness provided written and oral testimony and responded to
questions by members of the Committee.
There being no further questions for the witness, the Chair
invited the following witness to provide testimony on the
effectiveness of job placement programs for veterans and the
process used to track state agency adherence to the state
statute relating to the matter of veteran's job placement
preference:
Terry O'Mahoney, Commissioner Representing Labor, Texas
Workforce Commission
The witness provided oral testimony and responded to questions
by members of the Committee.
There being no further questions for the witness, the Chair
invited the following panel of witnesses to provide testimony on
the impact of the current military mobilization on persons
called to active duty and their families, state and federal
statutes concerning guardsmen, and an assessment on the use of
funds from Proposition 8 to repair armories:
MG Wayne D. Marty, Assistant Adjutant General, Texas
National Guard
BG William Goodwin, Chief of Staff, Texas National Guard
Col. Garry D. Patterson, Director Facilities & Engineering,
Texas Army National Guard
LTC Patrick Hamilton, Mobilization Readiness Officer,
Adjutant General's Department
The witnesses provided written and oral testimony and responded
to questions by members of the Committee.
Chairman Shapleigh then laid out the June 4, 2002 minutes.
Senator Van de Putte moved the adoption of the minutes. There
being no objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Estes left the hearing at 1:23 p.m.
The Chair then invited the following witness to provide
testimony on the number and age of veterans in the El Paso area
and to address the quality of service being experienced by
veterans as it relates to the dissemination of benefits
information and the level and adequacy of assistance provided by
County Veterans Service Officers:
Manuel O. Navarrete, Sr. Vice Commander (Incoming),
Veterans of Foreign Wars-District #10
The witness provided written and oral testimony and responded to
questions by members of the Committee.
There being no further questions for the witness, the Chair
invited the following witness to provide testimony on actions
taken or proposed by Texas Strategic Military Planning
Commission to more effectively address military issues in Texas:
James P. Maloney, Member, Texas Strategic Military Planning
Commission
The witness provided written and oral testimony and responded to
questions by members of the Committee.
Senator Van de Putte left the hearing at 2:15 p.m.
There being no further questions for the witness, the Chair
invited the following panel of witnesses to provide testimony on
forecasted construction/repair of the highway systems used for
mobilizations of Texas Military Forces:
Wayne A. Dennis, Deputy Director Transportation Planning
and Programming, Texas Department of Transportation
Manny Aguilera, Deputy District Engineer, Texas Department
of Transportation
Phillip T. Nash, Project Director, Texas Tech University
The witnesses provided written and oral testimony and responded
to questions by members of the Committee.
There being no witnesses registered or responding to the
Chairman's call for public testimony, the Chairman closed public
testimony.
Chairman Shapleigh made closing remarks.
There being no further business, at 3:00 p.m. Chairman Shapleigh
moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of
the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
______________________
Senator Eliot Shapleigh, Chair
______________________
Kari McAdams, Clerk