December 4, 2009
Hampton Roads Delegation to Address Regional
Military Issues with Senior Pentagon Officials
A delegation of senior Hampton Roads political and business leaders are travelling to Washington, DC on Friday, December 4 to discuss issues related to military activities in Hampton Roads with senior Pentagon officials.
The delegation of Board members of the Hampton Roads Military & Federal Facilities Alliance (HRMFFA) includes Hampton Mayor Molly Ward, Isle of Wight County Board Chair James Brown, Newport News Mayor Joe Frank, Norfolk Vice-Mayor Anthony Burfoot, Portsmouth Councilman Charles Whitehurst, and Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms, as well as business leaders. HRMFFA Board co-chairs Mayors Ward and Sessoms are leading the delegation. Staff members from the Virginia National Defense Industrial Authority (VNDIA) are also participating.
The primary purpose of the visit is to discuss key Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) decisions that have serious implications for Hampton Roads interests, Navy nuclear carrier home porting, and Air Force F-22 fighter basing. A number of other issues - including the future of NAS Oceana, outlying landing field (OLF), and joint basing - that are not tied directly to the 2010 QDR may also be discussed.
The Hampton Roads leaders are scheduled to meet with senior defense department officials, including Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans and Forces Kathleen Hicks, and senior decision makers in the Air Force, Air National Guard, Army, and Navy.
The Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance was formed as a not-for-profit corporation in 2006 by the 13 municipalities and counties of the Hampton Roads region to advocate on behalf of the region's interests related to sustaining military and federal capabilities. Federal spending in Hampton Roads now accounts for nearly 50% of the gross regional economy.
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Media Contacts: Dianne R. Foster, Public Information Officer, Tami Back, Public Communications Assistant