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thedrifter
07-15-08, 06:00 AM
Half of Marines in expansion have already arrived at eastern N.C. bases
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July 14, 2008 - 9:33PM
Sue Book
Sun Journal

JACKSONVILLE - Nearly half of the 11,477 military-related personnel expected in Eastern North Carolina as part of a Marine Corps ramp-up have already arrived.

On Monday, Paul Salvetti of Marine Corps Installations-East told volunteers recruited to assist the Military Growth Task Force plan for their arrival that 5,479 of the new personnel are already here.

Salvetti said they include 5,293 active-duty Marines and 146 civilians in military-related jobs at Cherry Point, New River and Camp Lejeune.

More are on the way and should total 6,353 by end of the 2008 fiscal year on Sept. 30, he said.

The total is expected to be 8,066 by the end of fiscal 2009, he said, with 9,982 arriving by the end of fiscal 2010.

All 11,477 personnel plus the dependents they bring should be in the area by 2011, Salvetti said.

The volunteers have signed on to assist in helping gather data and plan and find money to build up the area's infrastructure rapidly to accommodate those in the new jobs and the growing service industry expected to follow.

The total number of new people accompanying the buildup has been placed as high as 78,000 in the seven-county region including Onslow, Craven, Carteret, Jones, Pamlico, Duplin, and Pender counties.

Task force director Tom Gaskill said the pace of arrival could be more rapid than the current timetable.

"Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said we are going to try to accelerate that," Gaskill said, but so far no legislative action to fund an accelerated pace has followed.

"We are going with what is programmed and expected," said Gaskill, who came aboard July 7 following his retirement from the Marine Corps.

Gaskill is known in the region for his work in implementing the Area Installation Compatibility Use Zone to protect regional military bases from the development encroachment that could threaten their function.

The more than 150 volunteers on seven working groups and task force members were at an orientation and appreciation gathering at the Camp Lejeune Officers Club.

They were given confirmation of a $1.559 million Office of Economic Adjustment grant award to aid the task force plan for expansion of things including schools, roads, water and sewer that will be needed to accommodate the growth.

Gaskill said a lot of hard work went into applying for the federal grant and "now it is time to get re-energized and focused on the planning mission."

He said the task force Web site, www.nceastmgtf.org, will be update regularly.

Ellie