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Georgetown Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Linda Price, Dover Air Force Base Commander Col. William C. McDonald and Dr. Jeffrey T. Benson, Jr. talk after a luncheon held by the Chamber Wednesday, April 3./PHOTO BY JENNIFER ANTONIK[/caption]
GEORGETOWN — Innovation and economic drivers were on Dover Air Force Base Commander Col. William C. McDonald’s mind as he addressed the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce during its economic development luncheon Wednesday.
After a brief historical overview of Delaware’s only active military base, McDonald highlighted its local impact.
“It comes to a grand total of $847 million. That’s payroll, that’s goods and services. It’s a huge economic impact to the local area,” McDonald told the Delaware Business Times. “Really what makes us, and our airmen, successful is the connection we have with the community. We have such great support. And not just there in Dover, but across the state. We are so thankful for that. We couldn’t do our missions throughout the world without this support day in and day out.”
He emphasized that the amount of money spent throughout the Delaware community also includes construction services and locally produced or purchased goods. It also includes those employed at DAFB who, in turn, spend their dollars locally, as well.
“We have a total workforce of about 6,067 — about 3,382 active-duty, 1,677 reserves and 1,000 civilians. If you add dependents to that, that’s about 9,000 people that we serve in the Dover Air Force Base . . So many of our service members decide to retire and stay here. If you look at our retiree population, that brings the number to about 47,000 retirees in the area that are serviced by Dover Air Force Base. That’s a huge number, but we’re so happy to keep them a part of the family here,” McDonald said during his presentation to the chamber.
On base alone, the number of people served equals about 11,000 to include spouses and other family members, as well.
Despite the large number of people served through DAFB and the “small footprint” of the 3,172-acre base, McDonald said the Dover location continues to lead in a variety of ways.
“We’re the second largest wing in air mobility command . . . We’re the only C-5M major isochronal inspection base,” he explained. “We also have DoD’s [Department of Defense] largest aerial port. That is actually an incredible facility there.”
He said DAFB is the largest DoD foreign military sales port, as well, citing $3.5B in annual sales that flowed through DAFB just last year and estimated that at least 80% of supplies that traveled to the Ukraine from the United States came through the DAFB.
On the home front, McDonald, who took command of the 436th Airlift Wing last July for a three-year term, was excited to tell chamber attendees about the upcoming airshow, scheduled for May 18 and 18 in Dover, and the unveiling of a new aircraft maintenance hangar which will occur April 15.
“There will always be a need for what’s provided here in Dover,” McDonald said. “We need the community and the community and country needs us. It’s an honor to be leading the charge with such a great group of people.”
