The BRTF was organized in 1992 by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance (NEPA) to provide regional community support for the preservation and protection of the TYAD in response to the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, which evaluates every military facility in the country to eliminate excess infrastructure.
NEPA serves as the managing entity for the BRTF and has assembled a team of volunteer community leaders who provide leadership and vision in both protecting the installation and identifying opportunities for expansion.
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Organized
The Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF) was organized in 1992 in response to the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process.
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Coordination
The BRTF coordinated the successful regional effort in support of TYAD during the 1993 BRAC Round. TYAD was rated Number One among all army depots in the categories of operational efficiency, expandability, quality of life, suitability and essentiality.
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Keep The Best
BRTF launches “Keep the Best” marketing campaign to garner support for TYAD.
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On The List
TYAD was placed on the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) list. Over $200,000 was raised to support the “Keep the Best Fund.” Both TYAD employees and supporters traveled to Boston, MA to assemble on the Kennedy Library grounds prior to the BRAC Commission hearing.
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Local Support
Four members of the BRAC Commission visited the TYAD.
The BRTF coordinated an effort to have high school marching bands, TYAD workers and the public line the entire route from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport to the Depot as a means of indicating the high amount of local support for the TYAD.
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Community of Excellence
The BRTF receives a top national award, “Army Community of Excellence,” from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
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Governor Tom Ridge visits TYAD
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Jobs
As a result of the BRAC process, jobs begin to arrive at TYAD from McClellan AFB that was located at the time near Sacramento, CA.
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Community of Excellence
The BRTF receives a top national award, “Army Community of Excellence,” from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
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TYAD will receive 90-100 new jobs from Letterkenny Army Depot.
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TYAD receives over 250 new jobs as a result of the 1995 BRAC.
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TYAD contributed an estimated $917 million to the seven-county Northeastern Pennsylvania regional economy.
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Respect
Governor Rendell visits TYAD and addresses some of its 4,000 employees, indicating his respect for their work. As a means of showing his support, Governor Rendell presented a $75,000 state grant to the BRTF as a “down payment” to help support the region’s largest employer.
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President George W. Bush visits TYAD on Veterans Day.
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The BRTF is reorganized to address BRAC 2005.
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A reorganization meeting of the BRTF was held at TYAD.
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The Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance used IMPLAN® to estimate the economic impact of Tobyhanna Army Depot on an 11-county region. Total impact is for FFY 2010 is $4.4 billion and the number of jobs supported is 19,300.
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TYAD hosts the 48th Annual Dinner of the NEPA Alliance and receives the annual NEPA Regional Leadership Award.
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Impact
The Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance used IMPLAN® to estimate the economic impact of Tobyhanna Army Depot on an 11-county region. Total impact for FFY 2013 is $3.4 billion and the number of jobs supported is 13,500.
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NEPA Alliance receives a $25,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Military Community Protection Commission to launch a public relations and outreach initiative designed to increase the profile of the Tobyhanna Army Depot throughout the region and Commonwealth.
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The BRTF is reorganized in anticipation of defense spending reductions.
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NEPA Alliance receives a $50,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Military Community Enhancement Commission to develop a strategic plan and update the economic impact analysis of the TYAD.
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NEPA officially transfers 42 acres of land that was purchased from a developer and held for over four years to the Department of the Army. The land was purchased to prevent encroachment at Tobyhanna Army Depot.
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The Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance has used IMPLAN® to estimate the economic impact of Tobyhanna Army Depot on an 11-county region. Total impact for FFY 2014 is $3.1 billion and the number of jobs supported is 12,360.