[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6177430,"mediaKeyId","5338444-506c19289ad5e20604d5d483e17af89e","parentId",5338444,"title","Washington National Guard to shift unit type; deployments and federal funding uncertainty flagged","audioSeconds",193,"startMs",1687000,"endMs",1880000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5338444-506c19289ad5e20604d5d483e17af89e&start=1687&end=1880","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5338444-506c19289ad5e20604d5d483e17af89e/thumbnail_1687000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6177430/Washington/Washington-National-Guard-to-shift-unit-type-deployments-and-federal-funding-uncertainty-flagged","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6177430-9b8b49e47180ffd7eddbf05e3726b61f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775218840&Signature=dj6W3OYd8NwAj18-ilqs5pw54tDdaSGcnRIq6xGZ~ceoZhnTH3Jhyeb52uxPo5fgKcq7pn5J-07L74gKdr1J7BcIo98RgrWxk55ERgGLooFIb~mk6MFGmwy6d2gz2SHisRyWnEq9vmiSku4npUdtZcX38YmsGZMvISGTerB1qUufLRDxZwpqKzSN08H9cygMgGwGmtCczJI04LkuanZPDTWdirAsLFR1zh6p9N66paA2bwHGNeZSpZeWORebCb8uBa1rLEQeK65DQSxnpObFcjDa5qedj0RV7YBcQ7hA8u0is1xBad3K6-A~vlCTufOogcERyf2oLx639IuOmVwgvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Joint Committee on Veterans' & Military Affairs","date","2025-06-30T00:00:00Z","article","The Washington military department updated state legislators Thursday on federal deployments, a major unit conversion in the Army National Guard and budget impacts from continuing resolutions that are slowing military construction and cooperative agreements.

\"Currently, about 400 service members from the Washington Army and Air National Guard are deployed around the globe on federal missions. This is roughly 5% of the Washington National Guard force structure,\" Jim Baumgartner, intergovernmental affairs and policy director for the Washington Military Department, told the Joint Committee on Veterans' & Military Affairs.

Baumgartner said the Washington Army National Guard's 81st Stryker Brigade was selected for transformation under a broader force modernization plan and \"will transition from a Stryker Brigade combat team to a mobile combat team. This will be modernizing equipment and changing some roles and functions.\" He said the state was selected in part because of recruiting and retention metrics and that the change will bring equipment and manning adjustments and an overall end-strength change to the Washington Army National Guard, which he said is currently about 6,000 service members.

He told the committee the federal continuing resolutions in place for fiscal year funding make planning and execution harder by freezing new starts and concentrating appropriation-based spending into short windows when Congress finally passes budgets. \"This affects funding levels,\" he said, and \"it affects our ability to do military construction, delaying projects and thereby increasing costs and the state share thereof.\"

Baumgartner said the department has two capital projects in play for the current request cycle and that both are long-planned efforts; the department is seeking to finish those rather than start new construction. He also noted federal cooperative agreements are likely to shift toward greater state cost-share and administrative responsibility.

On other topics, Baumgartner said the state is maintaining the National Guard's State Partnership Program (currently Malaysia and Thailand) and adding the Republic of the Marshall Islands as a partner. He also described a recent convening requested by a tribal chief of police (Chief Sherman Pruitt) in which 23 tribal police chiefs participated; the military department hosted the event and partnered with the American Indian Health Commission.

Committee members asked for follow-up on the potential end-strength effects of transformation and for continued monitoring of funding impacts. No committee votes were taken; members said they will continue to track federal appropriations and grant timelines that affect state planning.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Committee on Veterans' & Military Affairs - 6/30/2025 10:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","The Washington Military Department told legislators that about 400 Guard members are on federal missions (about 5% of state force), the 81st Stryker Brigade will convert to a mobile combat team, and federal continuing resolutions are delaying construction projects and shifting costs to the state.","taxTitle","Joint Committee on Veterans' & Military Affairs, Joint, Work Groups & Task Forces, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",77553,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6177422,"State DCCA manager urges timeline changes to unlock federal DCIP grants for local base-compatibility projects",105,2355000,2460000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5338444-506c19289ad5e20604d5d483e17af89e&start=2355&end=2460","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5338444-506c19289ad5e20604d5d483e17af89e/thumbnail_2355000.jpg","/articles/6177422/Washington/State-DCCA-manager-urges-timeline-changes-to-unlock-federal-DCIP-grants-for-local-base-compatibility-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6177422-2e699ceffad4bc84c6c85005279a5f86/orig.mp4?Expires=1775218840&Signature=k-7JoeffgR~dbaTPNJO20o0bD5bmsGe9OtC5a9kYjZgnSCKLLtb4F0QVa3S69eY7Ot5MB4-i1yZQudyyBYj5zbo5jtnT~mgVbrNeoVYG7qPx1Mz3oBLiQb2HkjFBLd7i8SIkMH2pxY6AWJQRWD61sQkjeT4RFlgr0tmgj9sRr3IlEhcLc3WFN~e67EmJNonWl6ADCfAJiJ1Kw6qX8yFQX7mcOoRDIL1qprzY4HBqFJtINZ8NHTRlh93r330MWwd8IJoGIVA7zUBOZqE5i~xfNVOzwGGxsc0eVzPxXXc5~eak6e6WJq5iJrJy9I9gNiCtkyMZ9gCi2i7zurZq0Ojvig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Department of Commerce briefed legislators on Thursday about the Defense Community Compatibility Account (DCCA), a state program that ranks and funds local projects that reduce incompatibility with military installations and that is intended to help communities leverage federal Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) grants.

\"To put it simply, some project applicants are placed at a disadvantage due to the rigidity of the state wanting to be the last dollar in,\" Mike Cahill, DCCA program manager at the Washington State Department of Commerce, said. He told the Joint Committee on Veterans' & Military Affairs that the DCCA requires projects to identify nonstate funding and that, in practice, no DCCA project has received funding without other sources already secured, which can prevent applicants from applying to DCIP or other federal opportunities that require construction-ready status.

Cahill walked the committee through program eligibility and examples of funded projects, noting that the state has supported K-12 expansions near bases, water-well replacement projects to address PFAS contamination and land-acquisition projects to reduce incompatible uses. He highlighted two Oak Harbor projects'Crescent Elementary School modernization and the Hand in Hand Early Learning Center relocation'as examples that will expand capacity for military-connected children and address siting near airfield operations. \"Both projects are on track to open in 2026,\" he said.

Cahill described the City of Everett's Joint Firefighting Training Center as the state's first combined DoD and municipal training center, an award that Commerce expects the city to pair with federal DCIP funding. \"This past legislative session, we had our first project funded that will be applying for DCIP funding, the Everett Joint Firefighting Training Center,\" he said.

He recommended the legislature consider adjusting the \"last-dollar\" expectation so Commerce can provide state funding to competitive projects early enough for them to secure federal construction-ready grants. Cahill warned federal timelines for DCIP awards depend on the National Defense Authorization Act and could shift, and he said the DCCA will continue outreach and technical assistance to prospective applicants.

Committee members asked about federal funding trends and possible reductions; Cahill said he had not seen direct cuts yet but expected clarity to emerge after the next NDAA and later in the year.

No committee votes resulted from the briefing; members asked Commerce to continue technical assistance for potential DCCA applicants and to track federal timelines affecting DCIP awards.","A state program manager told lawmakers that Washington's Defense Community Compatibility Account is funding base-compatibility projects but that a state requirement that nonstate funding be secured before awards disadvantages applicants seeking federal DCIP construction grants.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6177434,"JBLM leaders warn workforce cuts strain fire response, museum faces possible closure in 2027",320,416000,736000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5338444-506c19289ad5e20604d5d483e17af89e&start=416&end=736","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5338444-506c19289ad5e20604d5d483e17af89e/thumbnail_416000.jpg","/articles/6177434/Washington/JBLM-leaders-warn-workforce-cuts-strain-fire-response-museum-faces-possible-closure-in-2027","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6177434-494bf1b37daecba428416ebcc009531f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775218840&Signature=Px80gQRxtvfmTDwHhlbKlZVYgCbddGz2DpY1vfoCePmJG9G7Sw-jRtozLts8h4EeBgm8NAX5dE4Z6j2zOqP~CM3QUVB09YwzpZb3hCTB7-GOuvgKknGjqKzPMh~BoTB5SHcVJ7O0LNhH9~2~WvKmnHhCYxpvcpyxpNFziS7HA63lxT1LbpqAx~T7o5h0M1GXyQCFiSlu~v16QNjQmKbgiURo6i2RBWG6k9nyjpGA-zysAO1ZJUjSlLdCy9p~jM6hIiAlc7We4VLD4bGZPoVrD94fP7v8gAii1fGgND~jeybNQfz5EbjgFShHsrVKadaCE4DEk3rlR78ygt~EW7VWTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Joint Base Lewis-McChord officials told a Washington state legislative committee on Thursday that recent federal personnel actions and broader Army changes are reducing base authorizations and creating operational strain, particularly for fire, emergency dispatch and air traffic control.

\"For here at JBLM, that amounts to about 283 authorizations, and that is right around 18% of our workforce,\" Col. Ken Park, the garrison commander at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, told the Joint Committee on Veterans' & Military Affairs. \"We are having to close or bring down, our couple of our fire companies, or, you know, basically our fire stations.\"

The committee heard that the cuts followed voluntary separations under Defense Department programs (often called DRP/VERA) that resulted in about \"60, 62\" volunteers locally, a number Park described as far lower than initial projections. Installation Management Command chose to avoid involuntary terminations by removing unfilled authorizations instead, Park said, leaving roles such as physicians, air traffic controllers, 911 dispatchers and many firefighters harder to fill.

Park described specific operational effects: the base is routinely operating five of six fire companies and may fall to four at times depending on staffing, and leaders are weighing \"very deliberate decisions in terms of the level of risk that they are willing to assume.\" He also said air traffic control is affected by a national shortage that is acute locally because civilian employers compete for the same personnel.

Park warned local mutual aid arrangements may be strained if fire season becomes active and the installation cannot provide expected off-installation response. \"There's a possibility that we may not be able to respond as much when we are asked to come out off the installation for mutual aid agreement,\" he said, and that commanders are in discussions with local agencies to coordinate contingency plans.

The committee also heard about the Army Transformation Initiative (ATI), a multi-year force redesign Park described as \"once in a generation\" changes that will change what units are based at JBLM. \"There are units here at JBLM that will go away. They will not be here. They're going to go away,\" he said, while also noting new, higher-technology unit types may arrive. Park said the Army has not finalized decisions and any large changes would take several years.

Separately, Park told members the JBLM Lewis Museum was placed on a Department of Defense list of locations slated for closure. \"JBLM Museum was, named as 1 of the locations that will close down,\" he said, and estimated any closure would be \"no earlier than 2027.\" Park said the building is also used for soldier training and that the likely local outcome under discussion is a partnership model or volunteer support that could keep exhibits and public access in place without the three funded museum positions that would be lost under a closure.

Committee co-chair Rep. Marie Levitt and other members asked about weekend public access and security; Park said the museum's separate entrance raised security concerns and that staffing reductions in non–wartime roles were a driver. He said leaders were pressing to keep exhibits local and to explore partnerships to maintain public hours where possible in the near term.

The committee did not take formal action on the JBLM items; members directed questions and requested continued updates from installation leaders about mutual-aid planning, fire-season readiness and the museum's status.

The garrison commander said he will transition from the post in early July and that his replacement was being vetted. The committee scheduled no votes on the matters reported during the meeting.","Joint Base Lewis-McChord leaders told a state legislative committee that recent federal personnel actions removed roughly 283 authorizations—about 18% of the installation's workforce—straining firefighters, 911 dispatchers and air traffic control and prompting possible temporary closures of fire companies.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6177426,"Washington Department of Veterans Affairs outlines $3.2M cuts, program reductions and capital wins",127,2405000,2532000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5338444-506c19289ad5e20604d5d483e17af89e&start=2405&end=2532","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5338444-506c19289ad5e20604d5d483e17af89e/thumbnail_2405000.jpg","/articles/6177426/Washington/Washington-Department-of-Veterans-Affairs-outlines-32M-cuts-program-reductions-and-capital-wins","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6177426-1fdd5f6ab5196eabff7274fb79ed3834/orig.mp4?Expires=1775218840&Signature=aImNXnlFqKaOm4rNu9NLcy~CXsZEY05kfGjSb6QSrZ5Xk6uFLi6Cji5gJ1Y3NQvN7sy9QoQ~A4dpbphF3QcBuO91XdsvJtIDutav2ib~~Bd9cam6rQu30xrPe2RSPMa3Ze2OBomrZud7tShU4HPCLbzUOZ0EwZUWpqaXD5mcPlzy-3iJ3b-ClfXsTG~4~ZssF2xWar4JYmxRN25VKdRXJ6S~v8GBn-JkfEuWmGbrBv8imkggSLZd9L2Wyt-D8DNiiiYtjhGZDN4lvKU1issi2f-JJ~hGYAGGTMkECWy6b1WiAO8WMYggJOPjgrlHgOXjA14Ovs9DZytWEk2g-PrC0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Washington Department of Veterans Affairs told the Joint Committee on Veterans' & Military Affairs on Thursday that a set of budget reductions will force program cuts and staffing freezes even as the agency secured capital funding for replacement homes and a second state veterans cemetery.

\"This has also given us an opportunity to work with our partners, both federal, state, and nonprofits to find out where areas that we can partner and integrate some of our work based on some of these cuts that we're gonna be impacted by,\" Director David Puente said, describing how WDVA planned to reallocate limited resources after the governor asked agencies for at least a 6% reduction.

Puente said the agency identified about $3,200,000 in reductions for the 2025-27 biennium. Major operational impacts include a 50% reduction in a veteran internship program (the VCC internships), holding 17 positions vacant (including a social worker at a veteran home and a maintenance mechanic at a cemetery), reductions in contracts with five veteran service organizations that help file VA claims, and cuts affecting suicide-prevention peer specialists and an IT position supporting veteran homes.

The agency will also cut outreach and in-person rural engagement and said it will stop the in-house nursing assistant (NAC) certification academy it had run for veterans out of Orting and Port Orchard; that program graduated its final cohort the week of the briefing. Puente said the NAC academy trained about 41 certified NACs since 2023. He also said the agency's veteran farm at Orting is sunsetting after a federal rural grant expired; the farm helped 26 veteran farmers, distributed about 13,000 pounds of produce to local partners and supported composting and community partnerships.

WDVA said VetCorps (the state-run AmeriCorps veteran service program) lost federal AmeriCorps funding and several VetCorps members were affected; the agency has requested $1.2 million in a grant to restore sites but said the federal funding ending forced the program to scale back.

Puente described some reductions to counseling and wellness programs: a current-year reduction that the agency must absorb and programmatic reductions next fiscal year that will reduce free counseling capacity. He said the agency would reduce the veterans innovations emergency financial assistance program by $100,000 and reduce counseling and wellness by $100,000.

Among the agency's capital and programmatic successes: the legislature funded about $23.7 million in capital projects the agency requested, including funds for a replacement Spokane veteran home and steps toward a second state veterans cemetery in southwest Washington. The legislature also provided $8 million to purchase land near the Spokane VA Medical Center, Puente said, and the Port Orchard home HVAC replacement project is expected to be completed in July.

Puente told the committee that the agency will seek partnerships with counties and community organizations to stretch resources for veteran housing and services, and that he would continue to press federal partners to preserve grant programs for transitional housing and suicide prevention. Committee members asked for continued monitoring of impacts to suicide-prevention services and outreach.

No formal vote or policy decision was taken during the briefing; members expressed concern about reductions that affect counseling, outreach and employment-transition supports for veterans and military families.","Director David Puente told lawmakers that WDVA must absorb roughly $3.2 million in reductions requested by the governor for the 2025-27 biennium, hold 17 positions vacant and cut or restructure several programs including in-house nursing assistant training, a veteran farm program, VetCorps/AmeriCorps sites and portions of counseling and wellness. ","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Washington National Guard to shift unit type; deployments and federal funding uncertainty flagged

State DCCA manager urges timeline changes to unlock federal DCIP grants for local base-compatibility projects

JBLM leaders warn workforce cuts strain fire response, museum faces possible closure in 2027

Washington Department of Veterans Affairs outlines $3.2M cuts, program reductions and capital wins