Over 150 local business people representing mega chain retail stores to small shops and civic leaders attended the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon Nov. 17 to learn what the future holds for NAS Whidbey.

Capt. Syd Abernethy, air station commanding officer, gave his first state of the station since assuming command a year ago, saying, “We’re getting better every day ... lot of good things have happened.”

He was alluding to news earlier this year on the EA-18G being based here and the arrival of VQ-2 from Rota, Spain.

Since NAS Whidbey brings $400.9 million to Island County, he told the crowd at the Chief Petty Officers’ Club that the economic impact is significant. Overall, the Department of Defense brings $9.8 billion to Washington state.

There are 11,257 military and civilian workers here, making the base the largest employer in the county. He said with those personnel come 12,300 family members, plus over 10,000 retirees who in live the local area.

He briefly explained the president’s National Maritime Strategy, from which the Navy derives its focus and direction. He wanted the audience to know how the base fits into the scheme of things, from the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s efforts in the war on terror, transformation, joint war fighting and quality of life, down to Chief of Naval Operations’ current readiness, force structure and total workforce strategy, and ultimately Naval Air Forces’ tasking of ready aircraft.

“You can argue to the left or the right whether we should be in the war on terror,” he said, “but now that we’re in it, we got to win it.” The audience agreed, spontaneously applauding.

Referring to the total workforce strategy, the follow-on to human capital strategy, he added that, “All of our people are important, and they need to be fully developed while under our cognizance. I think as business leaders, you can understand that.”

Of current aircraft flying from Whidbey, he spoke of the two new MH-60 Knighthawk SAR helicopters that arrived this summer, replacing the H-3 Sea Kings.

Abernethy also announced the EA-6B successor, the EA-18G, was officially dubbed the “Growler” by the Navy. On the topic of future readiness, he said the DC-9 used for fleet logistics support will be replaced by the C-40A, a 737 variant, and the P-3C community will transition to a Boeing Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft.

The audience learned of new construction projects on the horizon, with $22 million slated for a consolidated fuel facility, $58.1 million Hangar 5 renovation and $18.7 million set for EA-18G facility improvements during fiscal years 2007 and 2008.

Abernethy also compared how, in the past, it took 10 years through the military construction process to get Victory Park homes built, but with the privatization of housing with American Eagle Communities, they’ll have 42 new homes built in nine months.

By the end of 2009, 360 new military homes will be built and 409 old homes demolished. “Our Sailors will have no less than a three-bedroom home,” Abernethy said.

He thanked the community for their tremendous support of VQ-2’s move in the way of schools, housing and the joint Chamber, city and Oak Harbor Navy League summer picnic to make this squadron feel welcomed.

Abernethy keyed in on “partnerships,” saying the base worked with the Oak Harbor and Coupeville School Districts in providing School Age Care for 165 DoD kids and 39 non-DOD youngsters. Another partnership recently struck with the John Vanderzicht Memorial Pool allows active duty military to use the pool in Oak Harbor to meet fitness (lap swimming) requirements.

Among the questions asked were when the EA-18G would first arrive (2008) and what’s happening at the at the corner of Ault Field Road and Highway 20 where the “Sound of Freedom” billboard stood for a number of years.

Abernethy announced that the city has moved the A-6 Intruder static display from City Beach Park and in the near future it will be moved to that site so travelers will know “there is a Navy presence here.” The A-6 is currently being fixed up and repainted by Navy volunteers on base for the city, who has custody of it from the Naval Aviation Museum. He also said once the EA-6B is decommissioned, they would put one up for display too.

Abernethy was publicly thanked by a woman in the audience for his support of Oak Harbor in parades and speaking events. Abernethy said in his many assignments he had hoped one day to move to a small community. His wish came true in coming to Oak Harbor.