Kirtland releases economic impact statement

  • Published
  • By Carl Grusnick
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AFB, N.M. --  Col. John Kubinec, Kirtland AFB installation commander, released the fiscal year 2012 edition of the Kirtland Economic Impact Statement in his Report to the Community address to local business and civic leaders June 6.

This statement analyzes the impact of Kirtland AFB economic activity in New Mexico, and is developed after closing the books on FY12 base expenditures.

The economic impact of Kirtland AFB, including its mission partners, the Department of Energy and Sandia National Laboratories, is $7.8 billion annually in New Mexico. Albuquerque and the area within 50 miles of the base receive an economic boost of $4.3 billion yearly.

The report notes the employment impact of the base with 20,080 military members, federal civilian and contract workers, with an annual payroll of $2.2 billion for those directly employed.
The employment effect of base expenditures cascades across the state.

"With one of every 14 jobs in New Mexico associated with Kirtland AFB, the base provides a significant financial engine for the state," said Kubinec.

The base covers 51,585 acres southeast of Albuquerque, with 750 miles of roads, and eight installation access gates. Kirtland also sites 772 buildings, comprising 7.7 million square feet of space, including five fire stations, with a value of more than $4.5 billion.

"The synergy between the base mission partners and the community is what makes us 'Team Kirtland.' I know 'synergy' is an overused word and a bit of a cliché, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't use it when it's appropriate, and in this case, it's totally appropriate," Kubinec said.

The economic impact statement is prepared every two years and presented during the installation commander's Report to the Community.

To see the full statement, go to http://www.kirtland.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-130605-044.pdf.