The Quad Cities experienced some economic anxiety over the past couple years when John Deere laid off many hundreds of workers due to the downturn in the farm economy. Now another existential crisis is emerging for the region due to a proposed cost-cutting merger that could impact the vitality of the Rock Island Arsenal.
While the Rock Island Arsenal is a relatively low-key institution, it is nevertheless an economic powerhouse. According to the Quad Cities Chamber, the Arsenal employs approximately 6,250 people and contributes over $1.2 billion annually to the local economy.
The proposed action, which would merge the Army Sustainment Command (ASC) and the Joint Munitions Command (JMC) is driven by a desire to cut overhead and consolidate logistics functions. This change would not only jeopardize the logistics edge of these specialized commands but would critically impact the QC economy, according to the chamber.
With 400 highly skilled jobs at risk, the proposed merger is not a minor reorganization, but would risk fundamentally altering the economic fabric of one of the Army’s most productive communities.
To be clear, preserving the Arsenal isn’t like a community or congressman rallying to preserve a military contractor in their district that builds an antiquated and unused piece of military equipment.
According to Trish Huber, Rock Island Arsenal Defense Alliance (RIADA) vice chair and retired (Senior Executive Service), JMC, said that the Joint Munitions Command produces, stores and distributes conventional ammunition not just for the Army, but for all the services; from small caliber ammunition to 5,000-pound bombs.
A group of business and elected officials are trying to rally the region around preserving the Arsenal and it needs your help.
We appreciate this effort and wholeheartedly encourage you and your employees to sign the petition which can be found on the chamber’s website and reach out to your federal representatives on both sides of the Mississippi River so they understand how important this institution is to not only the region, but to our military readiness.
“This is all about unity for the Rock Island Arsenal, unity for the rock,” said Mike Matson, Davenport mayor, RIADA board chair and a veteran. “This is a bi-state, bipartisan coalition of support for our Rock Island Arsenal friends. This base is a key component in the lethality and readiness of our army and our joint forces,” he said.
We tend to rely on sage commentary that the late U.S. Congressman Jim Leach used when dealing with our federal government: Process is our most important product. How politics is practiced is often more important than the nature of the policies that unfold.
Let’s hope that this process will engage the region and result in the Arsenal being preserved.
