Another BRAC Job Fair is coming up March 19

There's another BRAC job fair coming up March 19. The Susquehanna Workforce Center is sponsoring the event at Ripken Stadium. Here are the details:

The Defense-Technology-Intelligence Job Fair is 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 19 at Ripken Stadium, 873 Long Drive in Aberdeen, Md. More than 25 employers are expected to be on hand. Click here to see a list of participating companies: www.swnetwork.org. There is no admission or registration required. Here are some tips for making it a success:

Dress professionally
Research the companies involved
Bring extra resumes
Prepare to complete applications
Refresh your interview skills
Network

Click here to see the event flier: http://www.swnetwork.org/2009%20DTI%20Career%20Fair%20Flyer.pdf
For more info call 410-939-4240

CECOM plans to hire 2,000 new employees by the time it moves to APG

Yesterday's Baltimore Sun had a good story on the massive hiring that will be happening in Maryland as the military moves its Fort Monmouth NJ operations to Aberdeen Proving Ground during the next three years. The story says :

The Communications-Electronics command (CECOM) is planning to hire 2,000 new employees by the time it moves to Aberdeen, the story said, with starting salaries ranging from $30,000 to $60,000, along with generous federal government fringe benefits.

If you're interested, it looks like you can apply for a job at CECOM here:
http://www.monmouth.army.mil/cecom/pandt/jobopport/apply.htm

BRAC job fair today at Harford Community College

The Department of Defense will be using today's BRAC job fair at Harford Community College to find candidates for the federal jobs coming to Aberdeen Proving Ground as a part of the military's Base Realignment and Closure process. The job fair runs from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the college's Susquehanna Center, 401 Thomas Run Road, Bel Air. (Click here to see a map.) According to the City of Aberdeen's website:

The Department of Defense is recruiting experienced Engineers, Contract Specialists, Contract Officers, Management Analysts, Program Analysts, Logisticians, and Program Managers. Meet with DOD Recruiters. Apply for federal jobs located at Aberdeen Proving Ground. For more information contact Stacey Lambert at the Susquehanna Workforce Network 410-939-4240 or slambert@swnetwork.org

The BRAC jobs are coming

A commenter (thank you!) just posted some information on upcoming BRAC job opportunities.

There's a BRAC job fair scheduled at Harford Community College on June 4. The fair is scheduled 2:00 pm—7:00 pm at the college's Susquehanna Center, 401 Thomas Run Road, Bel Air, MD 21014. According to the City of Aberdeen's website:

The Department of Defense is recruiting experienced Engineers, Contract Specialists, Contract Officers, Management Analysts, Program Analysts, Logisticians, and Program Managers. Meet with DOD Recruiters. Apply for federal jobs located at Aberdeen Proving Ground. For more information contact Stacey Lambert at 410-939-4240 or slambert@swnetwork.org

(The college is also hosting a Showcase of Aberdeen Proving Ground Technology and R&D Contract Opportunities on June 18 & 19 at the Amoss Center. Click here for more info.)

In other BRAC job news:

The master list of government jobs from Ft. Monmouth to APG is due to arrive at APG sometime before the end of June.

The majority of the Ordnance School move will start in April 09 and will continue to 2011, but the big push will be during 2010 fiscal year to Ft. Lee, VA.

The Government based jobs that are coming from nj ARE slowly starting to show up on USAJobs.com and will increase towards the end of this year.

CACI is the first contractor that will occupy the new OPUS complex.

Officials to break ground Monday on $477 million complex at APG to house Fort Monmouth's communications jobs

Army officials are scheduled to break ground Monday on a $477 million complex at Aberdeen Proving Ground that will house communications jobs that are relocating from Fort Meade. While the Asbury Park Press newspaper continues to report on efforts to prove the closing of the Fort Meade base is costing the government money instead of saving it, it appears APG will be getting ready for the 8,000 jobs expected to come nonetheless. The building will be for C4ISR: mission in command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, according to a Baltimore Sun story.

"The 1.5-million-square-foot facility, built by Whiting-Turner Contractors, should be ready for occupancy in the fall of 2010, a year ahead of the deadline for the completion of BRAC."

More construction at the 73,000-acre base will start this summer on a test and evaluation center as well as a comprehensive medical research unit, the story said.

Construction began three months ago on a 200-acre business and technology park known as GATE (Government and Technology Enterprise) that will include a 60,000-square-foot laboratory and an 80,000-square- foot office building, according to the Sun.

"The GATE project is part of an 'enhanced-use program,' a nationwide push by the Department of Defense to find new ways of financing maintenance and improvements on military installations during a time when the defense budget is being stretched to support combat operations overseas. Leasing the land helps pay for many of the other base upgrades.

"'One of the reasons we won BRAC is because APG has these lands available for lease,' said James C. Richardson, Harford's economic development director."

BRAC has already brought 500 new residents to Harford County

Harford County Executive David Craig told a crowd of 300 who attended last night's BRAC Town Hall meeting at the Aberdeen High School auditorium that 500 new residents have already come to Harford County as a result of BRAC, according to a report on abc2news.com. In addition, the story said:

"County officials told them that eight intersections near the Proving Ground will have to be improved, most of them along Rt. 40. Other roads that lead to the base, including Rt. 22, will have to be widened."

Officials said 8,000 new jobs would be moved from Fort Monmouth N.J. to Aberdeen Proving Ground. And, if the people who currently hold those jobs don't make the move, then there would be a lot of job openings at APG. They also said the sheriff's department staff would need to increase and the jail would need to be expanded. The county's water capacity would have to more than double by 2020.

"But Craig said Harford County residents will not be asked to pay for it all with an increase in their property taxes. 'We’re not anticipating an increase in taxes because of the capital improvements we need to make, or because of the operational improvements,' he said"

The story did not mention where the rest of the money would come from.

Big BRAC meeting coming up Monday, March 10

Transportation, schools and crime are among the topics expected to be covered during a BRAC town hall meeting scheduled 6:30 p.m. March 10 at the Aberdeen High School auditorium. A Baltimore Sun story reports speakers at the meeting are to include:

• Garrison commander Col. Jeffrey Weissman, who will give a BRAC progress report
• Harford County Sheriff Jesse Bane, who will speak on safety issues
• Harford County Economic Development Director James C. Richardson, who will discuss how his office is assisting people and organizations moving to Harford County
• County Executive David R. Craig, who will lead a forum on BRAC questions

Also to be discussed are a transportation center near Aberdeen and road construction priorities and the new Homeland Security Magnet Program in Harford County schools.

The nationwide military base expansion could bring as many as 10,000 new jobs to Aberdeen Proving Ground within the next three years, according to the Sun story.

The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Harford County Office of Economic Development at 410-638-3059 or visit them on the web at www.harfordbusiness.org.

State highway planners seek more public input on APG intersection improvements

State highway planners looking to improve the intersection of U.S. 40 and Route 715 near the entrance to Aberdeen Proving Ground presented four options to the approximately 100 people who attended a public meeting last Tuesday night. According to a story in today's Baltimore Sun:

"Options include two loop ramps from U.S. 40, a cloverleaf and additional lanes."

The story says the costs range from $34 million to $48.8 million and the project has not yet received funding:

"With funding, we could start construction in about three years," said Stephen M. Ches, transportation engineer manager and project manager. "First, there will be design and environmental studies. It will take two to three years to build."

The proposed highway improvements "could affect as many as 18 properties along the heavily commercial strip of U.S. 40. Preliminary studies have identified the potential impact on streams, but environmental research will be needed to determine the effects on wetlands," the story says.

The story says that some of the people who attended asked officials whether Route 715 would be extended to Interstate 95 and they were told that was not part of the plan. The story went on to quote Aberdeen Mayor Michael Bennett saying: "It will have to be done sometime."

The State Highway Administration is allowing 30 more days for the public to comment on the project:

Information: 410-545-8835 or 888-228-5003. The designs will be available soon at www. marylandroads.com, where there is room for comment. (I didn't see them there yet. If you do, please let me know and I'll include a link.)





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Jan. 15 public meeting scheduled on BRAC-related road improvements planned for U.S. Route 40 at MD 715

The Dagger Press blog reports that a public meeting is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 15 to discuss upcoming improvements to the U.S. Route 40 (Pulaski Highway) at MD 715 (Short Lane/Maryland Boulevard) Interchange near Aberdeen. The meeting, sponsored by the Maryland Department of Transportation (DOT) and the State Highway Administration (SHA) will be held at Bakerfield Elementary School, 36 Baker Street, Aberdeen.

According to the report in The Dagger Press:

"The main objective of this project is to improve the operational characteristics of the interchange and provide additional capacity for the future Base Realignment and Closure expansion."

"Although there will be no formal presentation, citizens can acquaint themselves with the project, review studies made, and see the various options currently under consideration by walking through the displays at their own pace. There will be SHA representatives available to discuss the current plans and answer questions."

For more information, click here to read the post at The Dagger Press.

Lt. Gov. Brown proposes plan to get companies to help pay for roads and schools

Workers are expected to break ground this week on the first building to go in at Aberdeen Proving Ground's GATE project, according to a story in Friday's Aegis. As construction gets ready to begin on the Government and Technology Enterprise business park, state officials are looking for ways to get the private companies that will come there to help pay for new schools, roads and utilities in the area. The Aegis reports that Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, who is Chairman of the Base Realignment and Closure Subcabinet, is proposing a plan that would allow governments to negotiate up-front payments from these companies for infrastructure needs. Officials are concerned that these companies are likely to be exempt from some taxes and up-front payments would provide governments with money needed right away to accommodate the expected growth. The story says Brown is expected to present his plan to Gov. Martin O'Malley on Monday.

BRAC plan says Harford County could get a new school for Ph.D.'s in tech fields

Harford County could get a new four-year school for earning higher level degrees in technology fields, according to a story in this morning's Aegis. The school would resemble an applied physics lab and would provide the research and resources needed for Masters and Ph.D. degrees, the story says. This information was included in the Maryland BRAC Action Plan put together by by a state subcabinet headed by Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and released in draft form on Nov. 16. The plan says a timeline for a feasibility study for this kind of an institution is scheduled to be offered next year.

The plan also calls for the relocation of the Aberdeen MARC station and improvements to the Edgewood station to improve north and south commuter rail times, the story says.

It goes on to say that the plan calls for:

• interchange improvements at Route 24 and 924 by 2011
• new lots at the park and ride at 152 and Route 24 by 2011
• deck replacement on the Hatem Memorial Bridge by 2011
• resurfacing of Route 40 from Route 152 to the Route 24 overpass by 2008
• resurfacing of Route 152 to the APG gate
• resurfacing of Rote 465 to Beards Hill Road by 2009

The plan also calls for completing a community safety and enhancement project from Route 24 to Willoughby Beach Road by 2011 and for wastewater treatment plant upgrades in Aberdeen, Havre de Grace, Joppatown and Sod Run.

Harford County leads the pack in BRAC households

The Washington Post reports today that Harford County is expected to get the largest percentage of new households coming to Maryland as a result of BRAC. Of the 25,300 new households expected, Harford County (home of APG) gets 26 percent, Anne Arundel County (home of Fort Meade) gets 18 percent, Baltimore County gets 14 percent, Baltimore City gets 10 percent, Montgomery County gets 9 percent, Prince Georges and Cecil County tie at 8 percent and Howard County gets 7 percent. These estimates came from the state's Department of Housing and Community Development. The story also said:

"According to the state, about 54 percent of the units would be for high-income households making more than $75,000; 28 percent for medium-income households earning $30,000 to $75,000; and about 18 percent for lower-income households."

This is how the BRAC job numbers break down, according to the story:

" ... Fort Meade stands to gain about 5,700 jobs directly and thousands more through related businesses. More than 9,000 jobs will go directly to Aberdeen Proving Ground, and additional workers will be assigned to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda and Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George's."

Looks like New Jersey can't stop BRAC from coming -- contract for lab complex awarded and 32 jobs coming this fall

A $477.5 million contract the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded a Washington firm yesterday to build an an office and laboratory complex at Aberdeen Proving Ground could be the signal that disgruntled New Jersey officials can't stop BRAC from coming. The contract awarded to a joint venture called Tompkins- Turner Grunley/Kinsley, according to the Baltimore Sun, will allow preparations to start for the 5,000 jobs expected to relocate from Fort Monmouth to APG by 2011. An advance team of 32 from New Jersey are expected here sometime this fall.

According to the Sun story:

"New Jersey politicians have sought congressional action to block closure of the 90-year-old fort, and a union representing Monmouth workers filed a federal lawsuit. But the Asbury Park Press reported Wednesday that the union failed in a bid to get an injunction barring the Army from going forward with the construction of the new 'Center of Excellence' complex at Aberdeen."

In other BRAC news, ABC2News.com is reporting that Harford County's Health officer is concerned about the increased traffic BRAC will bring and how that might impact our health.
According to the website:

"Dr. Andrew Bernstein fears those people will get into cars, leading to more air pollution. He's advising county leaders to bring in additional mass transit."

"The location of communities next to large highways or major intersections - there's a direct relationship between that and rates of asthma in children," said Dr. Bernstein."

Good thought. But I'm betting it's going to be hard to keep these 5,000 or more folks out of their cars, asthma or no asthma. Unless, of course, they get that hovercraft up and running. That just might make the commute interesting enough to park and ride.

Harford County's water supply is an environmental issue to watch

The influx of some 30,000 new residents that are expected to come to Harford County in the next few years due to BRAC is likely to bring environmental issues to the fore. Our water supply is one that has been mentioned frequently. A story in Sunday's Baltimore Sun says that the water supply is already an issue this year:

"The prolonged dry spell and lower stream levels have forced suppliers of water to Bel Air and Edgewood Arsenal to switch from their systems to the county's in the past few weeks, while the supplier for Aberdeen Proving Ground plans to make the change as soon as tomorrow."

The story goes on to say that the water supply problem can be easily solved this year:

"We have the water available, but we are cautious,' said Joel Caudill, deputy director of the county Public Works Department. 'Had this happened earlier in the season, when customers were using more water, we may have had some problems.'"

However, with a surge of new residents expected, it's an issue to watch.

Want a BRAC job? Do better in math.

I've noticed a number of news organizations have picked up on the report released Friday by the Fort Meade Alliance that says the state is failing to prepare students to fill all the high-tech jobs BRAC will bring. According to WBAL's version of the story:

"Enrollment for bachelor's degrees in Maryland rose 24 percent between 1994 and 2004, but the number of students pursuing math, engineering and biological sciences dropped."

This is a problem because:

"According to the report, state officials estimate that there will be a 17 percent hike in engineering employment between 2004 and 2014, 'but that can only occur if there is a supply to meet demand.'"

I thought I'd point out that the news is not all dire. If you're preparing for a BRAC job, Harford Community College has in its non-credit class schedule for this fall nine classes dedicated to Homeland Protection & Security. But they're not cheap. You can learn to be a Certified Ethical Hacker in six sessions for $1,795. Or you can learn to be a Certified Information Systems Security Professional in 10 sessions for $1,295. You can learn CompTIA Security+ for $1,895. And if all that is too pricey, you can spring for the $89 Hazwoper 8-hour Annual Refresher. But seeing as these are all pretty expensive, you'd probably do better to do well in math, get a good job and let your company pay for your training.

BRAC town meeting draws residents concerned about crime, terrorism and jobs

Last Wednesday's BRAC town hall meeting filled the Edgewood High School auditorium with people interested in hearing the update on the BRAC Action Plan, according to a story in Friday's Aegis. Forty questions came from the audience, the story said, with some focusing on crime, terrorism and jobs. Officials told the audience that a relocation of the Harford Sheriff's Office's southern precinct should help ensure the Edgewood area gets proper coverage as it grows with BRAC. They are also talking about ways to deal with gangs. Officials assured the crowd that terrorism is usually more likely in big cities and ports, the story said. And APG civilians who don't want to move with their shifting jobs, might find help by visiting the Maryland Workforce Exchange site at https://mwe.dllr.state.md.us/brac/BracContent.asp. The story also said:

"George Mercer, public information officer for APG, said he's willing to work with these civilians, as well as personnel who may be leaving and who wish to sell their property to incoming APG employees."

I know a few people in my neighborhood who were hoping to do the same thing.

Could telecommuting reduce the number of BRAC workers expected to move to Maryland even further?

A story in today's Baltimore Sun suggests that if the Army is willing to extend its limited practice of allowing some of its workers to telecommute, those unwilling to relocate from Fort Monmouth, N.J. might keep their jobs without having to move near Maryland. According to the story:

"Army officials are said to be considering allowing Fort Monmouth workers the option to telecommute, should their jobs move as scheduled to Aberdeen in Harford County. The Asbury Park (N.J.) Press reported last week that an internal survey of employees found only 25 percent willing to move, but that 55 to 60 percent would stay with their jobs if given the option to work either from home or from a telecommuting center in New Jersey."

Click here to read the story.

Maybe Harford County won't be getting quite so many BRAC jobs

A story in Sunday's Baltimore Sun reports that there's a new study out that says Harford County will likely get 3,500 fewer jobs than expected when the BRAC relocation process is completed. The 19,000 jobs for Harford predicted in the study by Sage Policy Group Inc., a Baltimore economic consulting firm, is still a big increase for the county. But the study says it expects the strong office market already available in Baltimore County will attract a lot of companies there. James C. Richardson, Harford County's economic development director, told the Sun Harford County had earlier expected 22,500 jobs. But no one really knows what's going to happen until the jobs start coming and we see how many end up spilling into Cecil County and even Pennsylvania and Delaware. Other findings the story cited from the study include:

• The public school population in the seven-county area will grow by nearly 11,000 students, with the largest increase -- 4,624 -- in Harford County.

• BRAC-related households will have average incomes of $109,000.

• About 86 percent of the people coming to the region will live in owner-occupied houses, and the average home price is estimated at $400,000.

• State gross tax receipts will be boosted by $113 million a year by 2017.

Completion of enviromental study clears way for bids to go out on BRAC construction projects at APG

According to a Baltimore Sun story: Now that the environmental impact study has been completed and approved, demolition and construction can get started at Aberdeen Proving Ground in preparation for the estimated 8,200 jobs to relocate there from Fort Monmouth in New Jersey by 2011. The story says building is expected to start next year and the approval clears the way for bids to go out on the $800 million worth of construction projects. According to the story:

"The first phase of construction will include upgrades to infrastructure and the razing of several aging buildings, many of them former barracks converted into offices."

and

"During the next four years, the APG will add as many as 8,000 jobs on base and thousands more military, civilian and contractor positions on its periphery. The expansion could bring more than 30,000 people to Harford County, officials said."

The environmental study reviewed the base's impact on traffic and cultural resources as well as:

"... studies of noise pollution, air and water quality, plant and animal life and cultural resources - all reviewed by officials at the Maryland Department of the Environment and the federal Environmental Protection Agency..."