In honor of Women’s History Month, Governor Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf hosted a second annual event with the Pennsylvania Commission for Women. The event recognized 28 women from Pennsylvania from across the various branches of the military and celebrated their service to our state and our country. Among the honorees was Pauline […]

The Air Force Community Partnership Initiative is a process to leverage military installation and local government capabilities and resources to reduce operating and service costs, or reduce risks, in support of the Air Force mission. Reduced budgets present challenges that require new approaches and new ways of thinking about partnerships. The Air Force Community Partnership […]

Introduction: Why the Focus on Partnerships Now? As Department of Defense (DoD) budgets shrink rapidly, DoD leaders are looking for revolutionary ways to reduce costs while retaining capabilities critical to their missions. Communities, states, and industry that depend heavily upon DoD for their livelihoods and economies are searching for more efficient operating models that will […]

In 1995, we received word that a BRAC—base realignment and closure—was on the table for Pittsburgh’s 911th Airlift Wing, a part of the Air Force Reserve. At this time, the Military Affairs Council of Western Pennsylvania (MACWPA) was not a formal organization. Instead, we were a group of concerned citizens that saw this BRAC as […]

An active military presence in any region offers the potential for a win-win between the military and the surrounding community. At MACWPA, our goal is to educate stakeholders at all levels—from citizens to elected officials to commanders—about the opportunities these relationships present and to build bridges wherever possible so that our region continues to grow. […]

The 911th Airlift Wing’ mission is to “support our national security objectives by providing fully mission-ready C-130 airlift, aeromedical evacuation and expeditionary combat support forces.” In its fulfillment of this mission, the 911th is also a National Disaster Medical System hub (for patient transport during emergencies) and has had an estimated regional economic impact of […]